Systematic Evaluation of Diagnostic Delay in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Alain M Schoepfer1, Stephan Vavricka, Ekaterina Safroneeva
1*Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Lausanne †Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Triemlispital ‡Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich §Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern ||Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Lausanne ¶Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Basel, Basel #Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois et Université de Lausanne, Lausanne **Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition ††Children's Research Centre, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract:
We evaluated the diagnostic delay (time from first symptoms to diagnosis) in 100 pediatric patients with Crohn disease (CD) and 75 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Median (interquartile range) diagnostic delay in patients with CD was 4 (2-8) (range 0-82) months compared with 2 (1-7) (range 0-52) months in patients with UC (P = 0.003). The time interval from first physician visit to inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis was longer in patients with CD and UC when compared to the time interval from symptom onset to first physician visit (CD: median 3 vs 1 months, P < 0.001; UC: median 2 vs 0 months, P < 0.001). No specific risk factors were identified for the length of diagnostic delay. Measures should be taken to reduce diagnostic delay.
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