Milan Ultrasound Criteria Predict Relapse of Ulcerative Colitis in Remission.

Introduction: Bowel ultrasound is a noninvasive alternative to endoscopy for assessing the disease activity of ulcerative colitis; however, it is unclear whether bowel ultrasound can predict subsequent relapse from remission. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with ulcerative colitis who underwent bowel ultrasound between July 2018 and July 2021 during clinical remission (patient-reported outcome-2 ≤1 and no rectal bleeding) for at least 3 months and were followed up for 1 year. Ultrasonographic findings (bowel wall thickness, bowel wall flow, bowel wall stratification, and enlarged lymph nodes), Milan ultrasound criteria, Mayo endoscopic subscore, C-reactive protein, and fecal calprotectin levels and their association with subsequent clinical relapse were assessed. Relapse was defined as rectal bleeding score ≥1, stool frequency score ≥2, or treatment intensification for symptoms. Results: 31% of the patients (18/58) relapsed within 1 year. No single ultrasonographic finding predicted relapse, whereas Milan ultrasound criteria >6.2 ( Conclusion: Bowel ultrasound can predict subsequent clinical relapse from remission in patients with ulcerative colitis using the Milan ultrasound criteria.