Definitions, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of upper gastrointestinal Crohn's disease: an international, expert RAND/UCLA appropriateness study

Patients with Crohn's disease can have isolated or co-existent upper gastrointestinal involvement, but this is an understudied clinical manifestation. There are neither standardised definitions nor diagnostic or management recommendations to help to guide clinical practice. Therefore, we conducted a RAND/University of California Los Angeles appropriateness study on the definition, diagnosis, management, and appropriate outcomes of upper gastrointestinal Crohn's disease (UGICD). An international expert panel of 30 gastroenterologists and pathologists and two patient representatives were recruited. Following a previously published systematic review, 1061 candidate items were grouped into questions and evaluated for appropriateness. Two modified Delphi rounds of voting with an interposed moderated group discussion were performed. The expert panel defined UGICD as disease occurring in the oesophagus, stomach, and/or duodenum (proximal to the ligament of Treitz) that can occur at any time during the disease course. Upper endoscopy is appropriate only in patients with newly diagnosed or existing Crohn's disease with suspicion for upper gastrointestinal involvement (eg, upper gastrointestinal symptoms or the presence of anaemia). Management of UGICD should be determined on a case-by-case basis and factors, such as disease location and symptomatic, endoscopic, and imaging severity, should guide medical, endoscopic, and surgical intervention. Both clinical and endoscopic response and remission are appropriate treatment targets for routine clinical practice; there is uncertainty about the value of histological outcomes in UGICD.