Hepatobiliary manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: To evaluate the features and frequency of hepatobiliary diseases in individuals with Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: This retrospective study included all IBD patients at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The primary focus was on the prevalence of hepatobiliary diseases, such as primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and others. The secondary focus was identifying predictors of these hepatobiliary manifestations in IBD patients. Associations were analyzed using simple and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: Among a total of 885 patients with IBD patients, 4.3% presented with hepatobiliary manifestations. Of these cases, 31.6% were linked to Crohn's disease (CD). While 65.8% were associated with ulcerative colitis (UC). Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) was most prevalent, especially in females. PSC was linked to specific IBD sites 39.3% of UC patients have the left- sided disease and 10.7% of patients with ileocolonic CD had PSC. The absence of comorbidities was associated with lower odds of developing PSC, while UC diagnosis, adalimumab use, and infliximab use were associated with higher odds of developing PSC. Conclusion: A small percentage of IBD patients experience hepatobiliary complications, with PSC being the most prevalent. The study emphasizes the importance of closely monitoring IBD patients, especially those undergoing anti-TNF therapy.