Brief Article
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 7, 2010; 16(5): 578-582
Published online Feb 7, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i5.578
Understanding of chemoprophylaxis and concordance in inflammatory bowel disease
Adam Low, Melanie Love, Robert Walt, Katherine Kane, Bertus Eksteen, Jason Goh
Adam Low, Melanie Love, Robert Walt, Katherine Kane, Jason Goh, Department of Gastroenterology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 6HT, United Kingdom
Bertus Eksteen, Department of Liver Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 6HT, United Kingdom
Author contributions: Low A was responsible for co-ordinating patient recruitment and data collection, analysing the data and drafting the manuscript; Love M, Walt R and Eksteen B were responsible for patient recruitment and editing the manuscript; Kane K assisted with questionnaire design and patient recruitment; Goh J conceived the idea for the study and assisted with manuscript preparation and drafting; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dr. Jason Goh, Department of Gastroenterology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 6HT, United Kingdom. jason.goh@uhb.nhs.uk
Telephone: +44-121-6271627 Fax: +44-121-6277827
Received: July 15, 2009
Revised: August 31, 2009
Accepted: September 7, 2009
Published online: February 7, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To assess patients’ understanding for the reasons for taking 5-aminosalicylic acid or ursodeoxycholic acid as chemoprophylaxis against colorectal carcinoma associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS: A questionnaire-based study using a 5-point opinion scale was performed. One hundred and ninety-two patients with colitis only and 74 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis and IBD were invited to take part.

RESULTS: Overall response rate was 58%. Sixty-four percent of patients claimed full concordance with chemoprophylaxis for maintenance of remission. Eighty-four percent of patients considered daily concordance during remission to be very important. Seventy-five percent stated they understood the reasons for taking the drugs. However, only 50% of the patients were aware of any link of their condition to bowel cancer. Seventy-nine percent of patients felt their concordance and understanding would be improved if they were informed of the chemoprophylactic potential of the medication.

CONCLUSION: Despite good self-reported concordance, half of the patients were unaware of an association between colitis and bowel cancer. Explaining the potential chemoprophylactic benefits may enhance patients’ overall concordance to 5-aminosalicylic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid and help maintain remission.

Keywords: Inflammatory bowel disease; Primary sclerosing cholangitis; Colorectal cancer; 5-aminosalicylic acid; Concordance