Endoscopic and histologic activity assessment considering disease extent and prediction of treatment failure in ulcerative colitis

Abstract Background and Aims DUBLIN score allows evaluation of disease activity and extent in ulcerative colitis (UC). This study aimed to evaluate DUBLIN score as a predictor of therapeutic failure as well as to associate endoscopic and histological activity scores to assess their joint performance. Methods Retrospective cohort study, with consecutive inclusion of patients undergoing total colonoscopy with serial biopsies between 2016 and 2019. DUBLIN score (0–9) was calculated as the product of Mayo endoscopic score (MSe 0–3) by disease extent (E1–E3). Histological activity was evaluated through Nancy score (0–4). Activity scores were correlated with biomarkers, treatment failure (therapeutic escalation, hospitalization and/or colectomy) and clinical remission at 6 months (Mayo partial score ≤ 1). Results One-hundred and seven patients were included. In 38.3% (n = 41) there was evidence of endoscopic activity (MSe ≥ 2) and in 50.5% (n = 54) histological activity (Nancy ≥ 2). MSe and DUBLIN scores showed good correlation (r = 0.943; p < .001) and both were significantly higher in patients with histological activity (p < .001). Therapeutic failure occurred in 25.2% (n = 27). MSe, DUBLIN, and Nancy scores were significantly associated with therapeutic failure (p < .001). The areas under the (AUC) ROC curve were 0.74 (MSe; p < .001), 0.78 (DUBLIN; p < .001) and 0.84 (Nancy; p < .001). Joint evaluation of endoscopic and histological activity by combining DUBLIN and Nancy scores was associated with therapeutic failure with a significantly higher AUC of 0.84 (p < .001) compared to the Dublin score alone (p = .003). Conclusion Mayo and DUBLIN endoscopic scores correlated with each other and with histological activity. The joint evaluation of endoscopic and histological activity allowed to predict with greater accuracy treatment failure.