Pre-stenotic Inflammation Following Endoscopic Balloon Dilatation in Crohn's Disease: A Prospective Study

This prospective, observational study will include both pediatric and adult patients with stricturing CD on stable therapy who are planned to undergo EBD for management of a Crohn's stricture. Included patients are those in whom the treating physician is planning a colonoscopic EBD for a CD stricture. Patients will be followed with imaging, clinical assessment, serologic testing, stool microbiome and endoscopic assessment at time of EBD, and post-EBD. EBD will be performed to a target dilatation size of 18-20mm. If the stricture is deemed too narrow to allow dilatation to target size in a single session, graduated dilatations at a number of sessions can be undertaken at the treating clinician discretion. Time-point of week 0 will be defined as achievement of dilatation target size. Clinical assessment, blood and stool for calprotectin and microbiome, and focused bowel US to be performed within a 4 week period prior to EBD. Previous imaging (US/MRE/CTE) from 2-4 months prior to EBD, where performed, will also be assessed. In the absence of any contra-indication, repeat colonoscopy will be performed at week 12 (±2 weeks) to assess stricture size and assess extent of mucosal inflammation at the stricture site and the pre-stenotic region. Follow-up clinical review with repeat blood tests, stool for calprotectin and microbiome and focused bowel US will also be performed at week 12 (±2 weeks). Endoscopic images from pre-stenotic bowel loop and bowel US from week 0 and week 12 will be centrally read by two central readers blinded to the patient and stage. An average of pre-stenotic region SES-CD score and US-derived outcome measures from both readers will be recorded. Where available, imaging from 2-4 months pre-EBD, either US, MRE or CTE, will be assessed by the same central readers. Patients in whom successful balloon dilatation was achieved (see definitions below) will be included in the primary analysis. Patients in whom dilatation was attempted but was not successful (see below) will also be followed and will be analyzed as control group. Patient's medications are to remain unchanged throughout the follow-up period, including biologic type or dose, or addition of corticosteroids/nutritional therapy, unless the treating physician decides otherwise on clinical grounds, in which case the patient will be defaulted from analysis. Patients on corticosteroid or nutritional therapy at recruitment can continue to wean therapy as per clinician directive.