Comparison of outcomes for patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: The comparative outcomes of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are unclear; the aim of our study was to make an objective comparison.

METHODS: A total of 273 patients with PSC and inflammatory bowel disease (223 with UC and 50 with CD) were included. Clinical and demographic variables were obtained.

RESULTS: The PSC risk score was similar for both groups. The median follow-up period in patients with PSC-UC was 12 years (range 0-38) and that for PSC-CD was 14 years (range 1-36). The median number of disease flares per year was higher in PSC-UC patients than in the PSC-CD group [1vs.0 (ranges 0-20 and 0-9, respectively); P < 0.001]. More patients with UC developed colon neoplasia than CD (35.9% vs.18%; P = 0.009). On proportional hazards analysis for the risk of colectomy, UC patients had a 12% higher risk for colectomy [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.88; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51-1.51; P = 0.64]. Liver transplantation for PSC was associated with decreased risk (HR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.37-0.89; P = 0.013), while colon neoplasia increased the risk (HR = 3.83; 95% CI 2.63-5.58; P < 0.001) for colectomy. On proportional hazards analysis for the risk of colon neoplasia, UC patients had 56% higher risk of developing colon neoplasia than CD (HR = 0.44; 95% CI 0.16-1.25; P = 0.12).

CONCLUSIONS: PSC patients with CD appear to be associated with a lower risk of colon neoplasia and colectomy than PSC patients with UC.