Lower peripouch fat area is related with increased frequency of pouch prolapse and floppy pouch complex in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

BACKGROUND

Pouch prolapse is a rare pouch complication which often leads to pouch failure in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Its exact cause remains unknown. Floppy pouch complex (FPC) was defined as the presence of any one of the following pouch disorders: pouch prolapse, afferent limb syndrome (ALS), redundant loop, and pouch folding. We aimed to explore the role of peripouch fat area in the occurrence of pouch prolapse and FPC.

METHODS

Pouch patients with available pouchoscopy and abdominal CT scans who were followed up between 2011 and 2017 in Cleveland Clinic were reviewed. Peripouch fat was measured on CT images.

RESULTS

Of the 93 included patients, 31 were females; 87 had J pouches and 6 had S pouches. The median duration of pouch was 8.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 5.0-16.5) years. A total of 18 cases (19.4%, 18/93) were identified as FPC, including 12 pouch prolapse, 5 ALS, 1 redundant loop, and 3 pouch folding. Patients with pouch prolapse had lower peripouch fat area (13.6 (9.3-18.5) vs. 27.6 (11.0-46.2)cm2, P = 0.022) than those without. Patients with FPC had lower peripouch fat area (15.4 (11.4-20.6) vs. 27.6 (11.0-46.9)cm2, P = 0.040) than those without. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that lower peripouch fat area, lower weight, and family history of IBD were independent predictors of pouch prolapse and FPC.

CONCLUSIONS

A lower peripouch fat area was observed in inflammatory bowel disease patients with pouch prolapse and FPC. Longitudinal studies are needed to further elucidate the role of peripouch fat in the pathogenesis of pouch prolapse and FPC.