International agreement statements for monitoring disease activity in Crohn’s disease patients. The results of the IBD AHEAD 2011 project
Abstract
IBD AHEAD 2011 is an international project involving 36 countries which aimed to obtain agreement statements for monitoring disease activity in patients with Crohn’s disease. Four clinical options were determined: baseline assessment; monitoring in symptomatic patients, monitoring in asymptomatic patients; monitoring in post-operative patients.
The international agreement statements showed that a symptom’s evaluation is not enough to achieve a precise disease activity assessment. Besides standard laboratory investigations, (CRP) faecal markers (calprotectin) are used.
Ileocolonoscopy and magnetic resonance enterography represent "the golden standard" imaging techniques. Ileocolonoscopy is a crucial method for monitoring patients after surgery.