Delayed Corticosteroid Treatment for Patients Requiring Hospitalization for Acute Inflammatory Bowel Disease Exacerbations Increases Length of Stay and Risk for Surgery in Crohn's Disease.

Background: While corticosteroids are not recommended for maintenance of remission in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), they are quite effective for the induction of remission for both Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). We aimed to evaluate if a delay in starting corticosteroids after presentation to the hospital for an acute IBD exacerbation increased the likelihood of poor outcomes.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of IBD-related hospitalizations from 7 area hospitals in Austin, Texas between 2015 and 2020.