Impact of Diagnostic Delay on Disease Course in Pediatric- versus Adult-Onset Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: Data from the Swiss IBD Cohort

Introduction: Given the lack of data, we aimed to assess the impact of the length of diagnostic delay on the natural history of ulcerative colitis (UC) in pediatric (diagnosed <18 years) and adult patients (diagnosed ≥18 years). Methods: Data from the Swiss Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort Study were analyzed. Diagnostic delay was defined as the interval between the first appearance of UC-related symptoms until diagnosis. Logistic regression modeling evaluated the appearance of the following complications in the long term according to the length of diagnostic delay: colonic dysplasia, colorectal cancer, UC-related hospitalization, colectomy, and extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs). Results: A total of 184 pediatric and 846 adult patients were included. The median diagnostic delay was 4 [IQR 2–7.5] months for the pediatric-onset group and 3 [IQR 2–10] months for the adult-onset group (p = 0.873). In both, pediatric- and adult-onset groups, the length of diagnostic delay at UC diagnosis was not associated with colectomy, UC-related hospitalization, colon dysplasia, and colorectal cancer. EIMs were significantly more prevalent at UC diagnosis in the adult-onset group with long diagnostic delay than in the adult-onset group with short diagnostic delay (p = 0.022). In the long term, the length of diagnostic delay was associated in the adult-onset group with colorectal dysplasia (p = 0.023), EIMs (p < 0.001), and more specifically arthritis/arthralgias (p < 0.001) and ankylosing spondylitis/sacroiliitis (p < 0.001). In the pediatric-onset UC group, the length of diagnostic delay in the long term was associated with arthritis/arthralgias (p = 0.017); however, it was not predictive for colectomy and UC-related hospitalization. Conclusions: As colorectal cancer and EIMs are associated with considerable morbidity and costs, every effort should be made to reduce diagnostic delay in UC patients.

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Impact of Diagnostic Delay on Disease Course in Pediatric- versus Adult-Onset Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: Data from the Swiss IBD Cohort ; volume:7 ; number:2 ; year:2021 ; pages:87-96 ; extent:10 ; Inflammatory intestinal diseases ; 7, Heft 2 (2021), 87-96 (gesamt 10)

Contributors, Places and Time

• Creator: Schoepfer, Alain M. ; Tran, Vu Dang Chau ; Rossel, Jean-Benoit ; Sokollik, Christiane ; Spalinger, Johannes ; Safroneeva, Ekaterina ; von Graffenried, Thea ; Godat, Sébastien ; Hahnloser, Dieter ; Vavricka, Stephan R. ; Braegger, Christian ; Nydegger, Andreas

Further information

• DOI: 10.1159/000520995
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022071400483949179622
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:26 AM CEST