Serial Changes in Body Composition and the Association with Disease Activity during Treatment in Patients with Crohn’s Disease

Objectives: To analyze serial changes in body composition and investigate the association between body composition changes and disease activity changes in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). Methods: Seventy-one patients with CD who had been treated and followed-up at our institution were included....

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Main Authors: Ji Young Lee, Kyung Won Kim, Yousun Ko, Chi Hyuk Oh, Bo Hyun Kim, Seong Jin Park, Myung-Won You
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-11-01
Series:Diagnostics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/12/11/2804
Description
Summary:Objectives: To analyze serial changes in body composition and investigate the association between body composition changes and disease activity changes in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). Methods: Seventy-one patients with CD who had been treated and followed-up at our institution were included. Two to four computed tomography images were acquired at baseline, and the 2–5-year, 5–8-year, and last follow-ups were selected per patient for body composition and disease activity analyses. Visceral fat area (VFA), skeletal muscle index (SMI; skeletal muscle area/height<sup>2</sup>), and subcutaneous fat area (SFA) were assessed using an artificial-intelligence-driven fully automated method. Disease activity was assessed using a modified computed tomography scoring system and the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease. The associations between body composition, disease activity, and remission were investigated. Results: The mean age was 29.83 ± 11.27 years; most patients were men (48/71, 67.6%); and the median follow-up was 144 (12–264) months. Overall, VFA and SFA gradually increased, while SMI decreased during the follow-up. Sarcopenia was associated with the female sex, higher disease activities at baseline (<i>p</i> = 0.01) and the last follow-up (<i>p</i> = 0.001). SMI and SFA inversely correlated with the disease activity, i.e., the more severe the disease activity, the lower the SMI and SFA (<i>p</i> < 0.05). SMI at the last follow-up was the only significant predictor of remission (OR = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.03–1.42, <i>p</i> = 0.021). Conclusion: SMI decreased while VFA and SFA increased during the treatment follow-up in patients with CD. Sarcopenia was associated with higher disease activity, and SMI and SFA inversely correlated with disease activity. SMI at the last follow-up was the significant factor for remission.
ISSN:2075-4418