Clinical Predictors of Aggressive/Disabling Disease: Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease is classically characterized by periods of remission and clinical relapse. In some patients, disease may take an aggressive course that involves frequent relapses, continued active disease, intensified medical treatment, or even a surgical approach. It is important to determine clinical factors that predict the aggressive course of disease to implement appropriate therapy to prevent patients from developing complications and to improve their quality of life. This review discusses clinical factors that have been suggested to predict an aggressive course of disease in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease.