Broad Impact of Bowel Urgency in Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease: US, European, and Japanese Patient and Healthcare Professional Perspectives from the Communicating Needs and Features of IBD Experiences (CONFIDE) Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Bowel urgency affects the quality of life of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). This study used data from the Communicating Needs and Features of IBD Experiences (CONFIDE) survey to explore patient and healthcare professional (HCP) perceptions on the broad impacts of bowel urgency on patients' emotions and daily lives. METHODS: Online, quantitative, cross-sectional surveys were conducted among patients with moderate-to-severe UC or CD (defined based on previous treatment, steroid use, and/or hospitalization) and HCPs specialized in gastroenterology in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK), United States (US), and Japan. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The analysis included 200 US, 556 European, and 124 Japanese patients with UC and 215 US, 547 European, and 99 Japanese patients with CD; and 200 US, 503 European, and 100 Japanese HCPs. Patients experiencing bowel urgency in the past month and HCPs reported high emotional (up to: 97% patients, 97% HCPs) and daily life (up to: 85% patients, 97% HCPs) impacts due to bowel urgency in the US, Europe, and Japan. In all geographies, these impacts were similar among patients with UC and CD. Although patients and HCPs reported a broad impact of bowel urgency, HCPs perceived a higher impact than patients, but it was not among the top three most impactful symptoms on HCPs' treatment decisions. CONCLUSIONS: Bowel urgency affects the emotions and daily life of patients with UC or CD in the US, Europe, and Japan. A multidisciplinary approach is required to enhance care and develop suitable treatment strategies.