Abstract
Objectives: Despite therapeutic advances, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains a lifelong debilitating disorder with substantial burden. The study aimed to investigate disease burden and unmet needs in IBD patients receiving advanced therapies in Greece.
Methods: Between October 2023 and January 2024, adult CD and UC patients who were members of Hellenic Society of Crohn’s disease’s and Ulcerative Colitis’ patients (HELLESCC) and receiving advanced therapies completed a structured self-reported questionnaire. The survey collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, smoking status, comorbidities, disease activity, disease characteristics, current medications, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs; Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire [SIBDQ], Work Productivity and Activity Impairment [WPAI], Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9], treatment satisfaction and adherence). Both univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine associated factors.
Results: Among 287 patients with IBD (201 with CD, 86 with UC) receiving advanced therapies, 57.1% had active disease. Overall, 76.4% reported impaired QoL, 30.3% work productivity loss, and 38.4% activity impairment, while nearly half exhibited moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms. Notably, 39.1% expressed dissatisfaction with their advanced therapy, while 10.9% reported reduced adherence. No significant differences were observed between CD and UC patients across PROs, except for adherence. Higher disease activity was consistently associated with worse QoL, greater work impairment, increased depressive symptoms, and lower treatment satisfaction.
Conclusion: Despite advanced therapies, IBD burden remains substantial among Greek patients. A considerable proportion experience poor QoL, increased work impairment, significant depressive symptoms, and persistent disease activity. Marked treatment dissatisfaction, reported by four out of ten patients, highlights an unmet need for more effective management strategies