The Natural History of Newly Diagnosed Ulcerative Colitis in Patients with Concomitant Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Background and aims: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is commonly associated with ulcerative colitis (UC). Our aim was to compare the course of disease in patients with UC-PSC and UC alone in a nationwide cohort.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among nation-wide Veterans Affairs (VA) patients newly diagnosed with UC to determine the association between PSC status and clinical outcomes related to UC disease course. This study was divided into 2 groups of patients: (1) The incident UC-PSC group and (2) the incident UC-alone group. Follow-up began at the time of index colonoscopy that diagnosed UC and ended at the first occurrence of the respective outcome for the regression analysis of the following censoring events: (1) colectomy, (2) death, (3) end of follow-up, and (4 lost to follow-up.

Results: The analysis included 836 UC patients without PSC and 74 UC-PSC patients. In univariate comparisons, PSC patients were more likely to have more extensive UC than those without PSC. In a multivariable Cox regression analysis adjusting for sex, age at UC diagnosis, race, severity of UC, and extent of UC, PSC status was not associated with the risk of colectomy for UC, increased risk of receiving ≥ 2 courses of steroids for UC, or with the risk of receiving immunomodulators for UC.

Conclusion: UC-PSC patients do not have a more benign disease course than UC patients without PSC. UC-PSC patients may have a modestly increased risk for multiple courses of steroids, which may be mediated by more extensive colonic involvement.