title: Comparing histological activity indexes in UC.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Assessment of disease activity in UC is important for designing an optimal therapeutic strategy. No single histology score is considered optimum. The aim of this study was to compare intraobserver reproducibility and the interobserver agreement of available histological UC activity indexes.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and two biopsy specimens (collected between 2003 and 2014) were scored blindly by three pathologists by determining Geboes, Riley, Gramlich and Gupta indexes and global visual evaluation (GVE). Intraobserver reproducibility and interobserver agreements for index and items of index were studied by intraclass correlation coefficient for quantitative parameter and by κ values and Krippendorff index for qualitative parameters. Relationship between indexes was studied by computation of Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Geboes, Riley, Gramlich and Gupta indexes and GVE showed good intraobserver reproducibility and a good interobserver agreement. Histological items that showed the best interobserver agreement were 'erosion/ulceration or surface epithelial integrity' and 'acute inflammatory cells infiltrate/neutrophils in lamina propria'. The five scores were strongly correlated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Correlation between indexes is strong. Intraobserver reproducibility and interobserver agreement for all indexes is very good. Histological items that showed the best interobserver agreement are 'erosion/ulceration' and 'acute inflammatory cells infiltrate/neutrophils in lamina propria'.
authors.affiliation: Inserm U954, Genetic nutrition and exposure to environmental risks (NGERE), University of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Aude
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bressenot
authors.affiliation: Department of biostatistics, Institute de Cancérologie de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salleron
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Hospital of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bastien
authors.affiliation: IBD center, Division of Gastroenterology, Humanitas Clinical and Research hospital, Rozzano, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Danese
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Reims et Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France.
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boulagnon-Rombi
authors.affiliation: Inserm U954, Genetic nutrition and exposure to environmental risks (NGERE), University of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peyrin-Biroulet
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: ULCERATIVE COLITIS