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.
Keywords: Inflammatory burden; Ulcerative colitis; endoscopic activity; histologic activity; mucosal healing; treatment failure.