Table 2.
Clinical, biochemical and ultrasonographic characteristics of the 164 patients included in the study developing a simple ultrasonographic activity score for Crohn’s disease in Bergen [Norway] from 2015 to 2017 [development] and Bergen and Ålesund from 2018 to 2019 [validation].
| Variable | Development [range] | Validation [range] | Total population [range] |
|---|---|---|---|
| n = 40 | n = 124 | n = 164 | |
| Endoscopic activity/remission | 27/13 | 80/44 | 107/57 |
| Sex, female/male | 25/15 | 73/51 | 98/66 |
| Age in years, median, range | 37.5 [19, 83] | 42.5 [18, 75] | 41.5 [18,83] |
| Years of sickness, median, range | 9 [0, 44] | 10 [0, 40] | 10 [0, 44] |
| Body mass index [BMI], kg/cm2, median, range | 24.5 [17.9–34.6] | 24.2 [17.9–35.8] | 24.2 [17.9–35.8] |
| Age at diagnosis, years, n | |||
| <16 | 4 | 17 | 21 |
| 17–40 | 29 | 84 | 113 |
| >40 | 7 | 23 | 30 |
| Disease location, n | |||
| Ileal [L1] | 14 | 63 | 77 |
| Colonic [L2] | 8 | 19 | 27 |
| Ileocolonic [L3] | 18 | 42 | 60 |
| Upper disease [L4] | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Disease behaviour, n | |||
| Non‐stricturing, non-penetrating [B1] | 11 | 61 | 72 |
| Stricturing [B2] | 16 | 54 | 70 |
| Penetrating [B3] | 13 | 9 | 22 |
| Perianal involvement | 2 | 20 | 22 |
| Previous surgery, n | 21 | 46 | 67 |
| Concomitant treatment, n | |||
| Aminosalicylate | 5 | 15 | 20 |
| Azathioprine | 12 | 37 | 49 |
| Methotrexate | 3 | 9 | 12 |
| Prednisolone | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Budesonid | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| Infliximab | 8 | 39 | 47 |
| Adalimumab | 6 | 11 | 17 |
| Certolizumab | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Vedolizumab | 2 | 14 | 16 |
| Biochemical tests, median, range | |||
| Haemoglobin, g/dL | 14.1 [9.7, 17.5] | 13.8 [9.1, 16.3] | 13.9 [9.1, 17.5] |
| Leukocyte count, 109/L | 4.6 [2.2, 11.6] | 6.4 [2.5, 15.9] | 6.0 [2.2, 15.9] |
| Platelet count, 109/L | 276.5 [175, 498] | 272.0 [118, 513] | 275.0 [118, 513] |
| Albumin, mg/L | 45.5 [32, 52] | 45.0 [34, 54] | 45.0 [32, 54] |
| C-reactive protein, mg/L | 2.0 [0, 43] | 1.0 [1, 96] | 1.5 [0, 96] |
| Calprotectin, mg/kg | 74.0 [15, 2178] | 39.8 [15, 1492] | 42.0 [15, 2178] |
| Harvey Bradshaw Index [HBI], median, range | 4 [0, 20] | 2 [0, 12] | 3 [0, 20] |
| Ultrasound variables, score > 0 | |||
| Bowel wall thickness | 30 | 86 | 116 |
| Colour Doppler | 18 | 59 | 77 |
| Stratification | 12 | 19 | 31 |
| Fatty wrapping | 12 | 23 | 35 |
| Stenosis | 10 | ‒ | ‒ |
| Length | 30 | ‒ | ‒ |
| Fistula | 0 | ‒ | ‒ |
Definitions of the pathological ultrasound variables: bowel wall thickness > 3 mm, colour Doppler > 1 Doppler signal per cm2, stratification as loss of normal echotexture, fatty wrapping as present, ftenosis as thickened bowel wall [>3 mm] with narrowed lumen, length as present [any length of a pathological bowel wall segment], fistula as present.