Studies demonstrate that approximately 65-82 percent of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) report at least some degree of bowel urgency, but this symptom is largely underrecognized by gastroenterologists and health care professionals (HCPs) caring for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There is a lack of awareness and appreciation of the impact of bowel urgency in patients with CD as it is most commonly associated with ulcerative colitis. Bowel urgency in patients with CD results in emotional and social stress, leading to stigma, feelings of isolation, and impacting all aspects of daily life for patients. Bowel urgency is not widely incorporated into clinical assessment indices or clinical trial endpoints for CD, despite being a pivotal symptom influencing patient health-related QoL (HRQoL) and a potential indicator of uncontrolled intestinal inflammation.

In this CMEO Outfitters recorded symposium, expert faculty discuss recognizing the frequency of bowel urgency in patients with CD and the impact on patient QoL, incorporating assessments for bowel urgency through symptom evaluation, and engaging patients in open communication about their bowel urgency as part of shared decision-making in order to improve clinical outcomes, and the faculty also review real-world patient cases.

More Information

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this activity, learners will be able to better:

• Recognize the frequency of bowel urgency in patients with CD and the impact on patient quality of life.
• Incorporate assessments for bowel urgency as part of thorough symptom evaluation for patients with CD.
• Engage patients in open communication about their bowel urgency as part of shared decision-making in order to improve clinical outcomes.

Faculty:

Marla Dubinsky, MD
Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine
Co-Director, Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Clinical Center
Director, Marie and Barry Lipman IBD Preconception and Pregnancy Clinic
Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai New York
Chief, Division of Pediatric GI and Nutrition
Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital
New York, NY


Tauseef Ali, MD,  AGAF
Medical Director
SSM Health Crohn's and Colitis Center
Medical Executive Director
SSM Health Digestive Care
Clinical Associate Professor
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, OK


Millie D. Long, MD, MPH, AGAF
Professor of Medicine
Vice-Chief for Education
Director, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellowship Program
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
University of North Carolina 
Chapel Hill, NC