Table 2.
Patient and disease characteristics at diagnosis, overall and by diagnostic delay status [<75th percentile vs. >75th percentile], UC/IBD-U subgroup.
| N [%] or median [IQR] | Overall [N = 501] | With diagnostic delaya [N = 124] | Without diagnostic delay [N = 377] | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient demographics | ||||
| Male | 253 [50%] | 64 [52%] | 189 [50%] | 0.77 |
| Age at diagnosis [years] | 13.2 [10.4–15.5] | 13.4 [11.2–15.6] | 13.1 [10.0–15.4] | 0.28 |
| Family history of IBD | 81 [16%] | 18 [15%] | 63 [17%] | 0.56 |
| Presenting symptoms and signs | ||||
| Stool type | <0.001 | |||
| Formed, non-bloody | 4 [1%] | 2 [2%] | 2 [0.5%] | |
| Non-bloody diarrhoea | 25 [5%] | 12 [10%] | 13 [3.5%] | |
| Formed, bloody | 42 [8%] | 21 [17%] | 21 [6%] | |
| Bloody diarrhoea | 427 [86%] | 89 [72%] | 338 [90%] | |
| Abdominal pain | 409 [82%] | 99 [80%] | 310 [83%] | 0.44 |
| Isolated abdominal pain | 4 [1%] | 2 [2%] | 2 [0.5%] | 0.26 |
| Fever | 41 [3%] | 4 [4%] | 37 [12%] | 0.027 |
| Vomiting | 73 [18%] | 15 [15%] | 58 [18%] | 0.50 |
| Skin manifestations | 14 [3%] | 5 [5%] | 9 [3%] | 0.33 |
| Oral ulcers | 40 [10%] | 12 [12%] | 28 [9%] | 0.33 |
| Arthritis | 7 [2%] | 4 [4%] | 3 [1%] | 0.057 |
| Anaemia | 245 [59%] | 56 [57%] | 189 [60%] | 0.66 |
| Iron deficiency | 220 [53%] | 61 [62%] | 159 [50%] | 0.041 |
| Extraluminal manifestations at presentation [as per physician assessment] | ||||
| Any extraintestinal manifestation | 42 [9%] | 13 [12%] | 29 [8%] | 0.27 |
| Skin involvement | 4 [0.9%] | 0 | 4 [1%] | 0.58 |
| Joint involvement | 10 [2%] | 4 [4%] | 6 [2%] | 0.26 |
| Anthropometrics at presentation | ||||
| Height for age z-score | 0.17 [-0.54–0.84] | 0.09 [-0.67–0.96] | 0.19 [-0.50–0.82] | 0.56 |
| Weight for age z-score | 0.00 [-0.79-0.73] | 0.15 [-0.77-0.77] | -0.04 [-0.79-0.72] | 0.50 |
| Reported linear growth impairment | 15 [4%] | 5 [5%] | 10 [3%] | 0.36 |
| Reported weight loss | 267 [64%] | 45 [46%] | 222 [70%] | <0.001 |
| Biochemistry at presentation | ||||
| CRP [x upper limit of normal] | 0.7 [0.2–1.6] | 0.6 [0.2–1.2] | 0.7 [0.2–1.9] | 0.11 |
| ESR [mm/h] | 25 [12–42] | 18 [10–32] | 26 [14–44] | 0.008 |
| Albumin [g/L] | 38 [33–42] | 41 [35–44] | 37 [32–41] | <0.001 |
| Disease characteristics at presentation | ||||
| PUCAI | 50 [35–65] | 40 [25–55] | 55 [40–70] | <0.001 |
| Physician global assessment | <0.001 | |||
| None | 17 [4%] | 6 [5%] | 11 [3%] | |
| Mild | 111 [23%] | 41 [34%] | 70 [19%] | |
| Moderate | 198 [40%] | 48 [40%] | 150 [41%] | |
| Severe | 163 [33%] | 26 [21%] | 137 [37%] | |
| Location [Paris classification] | 0.071b | |||
| No macroscopic involvement | 10 [2%] | 4 [4%] | 6 [2%] | |
| E1 [proctitis] | 42 [9%] | 15 [13%] | 27 [7%] | |
| E2 [distal to splenic flexure] | 30 [6%] | 10 [9%] | 20 [5%] | |
| E3 [distal to hepatic flexure] | 58 [12%] | 15 [13%] | 43 [12%] | |
| E4 [proximal to hepatic flexure] | 339 [71%] | 69 [61%] | 270 [74%] | 0.009c |
| Extensive [E3-E4] | 397 [83%] | 84 [74%] | 313 [86%] | 0.006d |
| Mayo endoscopic subscore | 2 [2–3] | 2 [1–3] | 2 [2–3] | 0.018 |
| Medical therapy | ||||
| Induction | ||||
| 5ASA/sulphasalazine | 172 [35%] | 61 [49%] | 111 [30%] | <0.001 |
| Systemic steroids | 300 [60%] | 50 [40%] | 250 [67%] | <0.001 |
| Anti-TNF | 7 [1%] | 3 [2%] | 4 [1%] | 0.37 |
| Rectal therapy alone | 14 [3%] | 8 [6%] | 6 [2%] | 0.009 |
| None | 4 [1%] | 2 [2%] | 2 [0.5%] | 1.0 |
IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; CD, Crohn’s disease; IQR, interquartile range; UC/IBDU, ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease unclassified; PUCAI, Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index; CRP, C-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; 5-ASA, 5-aminosalicylate; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.
aTime to diagnosis >75th percentile in UC/IBD-U subgroup [6.6 months].
bOverall comparison of all categories.
cComparison of E4.
dComparison of E3-E4.