Published online Dec 28, 2023. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i48.6208
Peer-review started: October 10, 2023
First decision: November 6, 2023
Revised: November 25, 2023
Accepted: December 12, 2023
Article in press: December 12, 2023
Published online: December 28, 2023
Processing time: 77 Days and 14.9 Hours
Endoscopy is crucial in the diagnosis, assessment, and management of ulcerative colitis (UC). Several endoscopic scoring systems have been established to make endoscopic evaluation quantified and objective, including the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (UCEIS) score and Mayo Endoscopic Subscore (MES). The Toronto Inflammatory Bowel Disease Global Endoscopic Reporting (TIGER) score for UC, which considers the extent of UC involvement and reflects the number of segments with moderate-to-severe inflammation, was proposed in 2022.
Although the TIGER score is a novel and reliable tool for reflecting complete endoscopic inflammation, its clinical value remains unclear.
To assess the clinical value of the TIGER score by comparing it with the UCEIS score and MES.
We performed a retrospective study that included 166 patients with UC who underwent total colonoscopy. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to estimate the linear associations of three scores and laboratory/clinical parameters. The receiver-operating characteristic curve was performed to compare the predictive potentials of the three scores for predicting severe UC, patients’ recent advanced treatment, and 1-year readmission. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the independent risk factors for treatment escalation.
The TIGER score showed a significant correlation with the UCEIS score, MES, and laboratory indices, particularly C-reactive protein levels. Additionally, the TIGER score exhibited the best predictive capability for diagnosing patients with severe UC, upgrading treatment options, and 1-year readmission and a TIGER score of ≥ 317 was found to be an independent risk factor for treatment escalation in UC.
The TIGER score exhibits an advantage in assessing the disease severity of UC, guiding treatment decisions, and predicting short-term prognosis compared to the UCEIS score and MES.
The TIGER score may have significant clinical utility in evaluating, treating, and managing patients with UC, although multicenter prospective studies are required to promote its use.