Disease Clearance as a New Outcome in Ulcerative Colitis: a Systematic Review and Expert Consensus

The concept of disease clearance has been proposed as a potential target in ulcerative colitis (UC). We conducted a systematic review to investigate the role of disease clearance, defined as a composite outcome including simultaneous clinical, endoscopic, and histologic remission of disease in the management of patients with UC. Based on the literature data, statements regarding disease clearance were developed and voted on by the members of the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IOIBD) according to a Delphi methodology. A definition of disease clearance was proposed to standardize its use in clinical practice and clinical trials and to provide practical recommendations for its implementation as a therapeutic target in UC.

Automated summary

This article conducted a systematic review to investigate the role of disease clearance, defined as a composite outcome including simultaneous clinical, endoscopic, and histologic remission of disease, in the management of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. Based on literature data, statements regarding disease clearance were developed and voted on by members of the International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IOIBD) using a Delphi methodology. A definition of disease clearance was proposed to standardize its use in clinical practice and trials and to provide practical recommendations for its implementation as a therapeutic target in UC.