Title:Patient-reported Outcome Measures in Perianal Fistulizing Crohn’s
Disease
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Author(s): Natália Sousa Freitas Queiroz*, Karoline Soares Garcia, Eron Fabio Miranda and Paulo Gustavo Kotze
Affiliation:
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil
Keywords:
Crohn’s disease, fistula, patient-reported outcome measures, quality of life, magnetic resonance imaging, rectal fistula.
Abstract: Perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease (PFCD) is a disabling complication of Crohn’s
disease (CD) that can significantly impact the patients’ quality of life (QoL) and often requires
multidisciplinary care. Clinical trials assessing the efficacy of medical and surgical interventions for
fistulas usually evaluate outcomes such as the closure of fistula tracts or radiologic healing.
However, these traditional outcome assessments fail to capture the impact of the disease from
patients’ perspectives. In this context, regulatory authorities have increasingly encouraged the
inclusion of validated patient-reported outcomes (PRO) that assess disease activity and reveal how a
patient functions and feels. This recent trend toward patient-centered care aims to ensure that
improvements in efficacy outcomes are accompanied by meaningful benefits to patients. The aim of
this review is to discuss currently available PRO measures (PROMS) for the assessment of PFCD to
provide physicians with appropriate tools aiming to optimize patient care and disseminate the use of
these instruments in clinical practice.
