Analysis of Motility in Apparently Normal Small Bowel–Relationship to Crohn’s Symptoms

Abstract

Crohn’s disease (CD) patients often suffer abdominal symptoms even when their disease is apparently in remission with no identifiable active inflammation.1 Ongoing aberrant gut motility has been postulated as a cause, and this can now be quantified using MRI.2 This study tested the association between abdominal symptoms based on the Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) and MRI derived motility metrics in morphologically healthy small bowel in CD patients. An inverse association was found between reduced motility spatial variation across the small bowel and symptoms, particularly diarrhoea. This association was strongest when HBI scores were higher.