THREE-MONTH OUTCOMES OF ISCHEMIC COLITIS IN ANOREXIC VS NON-ANOREXIC PATIENTS: A PROPENSITY-MATCHED COHORT STUDY

Ischemic colitis arises from a reduction in mesenteric blood flow, a condition often aggravated by factors such as severe dieting observed in individuals with anorexia nervosa which compromise the gastrointestinal vasculature, increasing the susceptibility to ischemic injury. Objective: This study aims to rigorously compare three-month clinical outcomes, including colectomy rates, mortality, and other complications, between anorexic and non-anorexic patients diagnosed with ischemic colitis.

A validated multicenter database of more than 70 different healthcare systems across the United States was utilized. The population was divided into, Cohort 1 that consisted of anorexic patients with ischemic colitis and Cohort 2 which consisted of non-anorexic patients with ischemic colitis. After propensity score matching, a total of 450 patients were identified in each cohort. Outcomes were assessed over a 90-day period following the index event of ischemic colitis diagnosis. Kaplan-Meier curves and risk analyses were conducted to evaluate mortality, parenteral nutrition requirement, PEG placement and colectomy rates.

At three months, anorexic patients demonstrated significantly higher colectomy rates odds ratio (OR) of 2.262 (95%CI: 1.269-4.031, P=0.005) and mortality with an OR of 1.462 (95%CI: 1.079-1.981, P=0.014) compared to their non-anorexic counterparts. The differences in PEG insertion and PN (parenteral nutrition) use were not statistically significant.

Anorexic patients with ischemic colitis experience significantly worse short-term outcomes, including higher rates of mortality and colectomy, compared to their non-anorexic counterparts.