Development and Validation of a Comorbidity Index in Crohn's Disease

Development and Validation of a Comorbidity Index in Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Like other chronic diseases, patients with CD may be affected by other diseases called comorbidities. The prevalence of comorbidities in IBD patients ranges from 30 to 70 %. Unlike other chronic diseases, there is currently no CD-specific tool to assess the impact of comorbidities on patients' lives in order to take appropriate medical measures. Several clinical indexes have been developed for the study of comorbidities, including the Charlson index and the Groll index, which are widely used. The disadvantage of these indexes is that they are not adapted to patients with CD. The primary objective of this study is to develop and validate a clinical index to evaluate the impact of comorbidities on disability in patients with CD.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients between 18 and 59 years old
2. Established diagnosis of CD with a minimum disease duration of 3 months
3. Disease considered by the treating gastroenterologist to have been stable for at least 3 months

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subject unable to comply with study procedures
2. Surgery for CD 3 months prior to inclusion visit