OBJECTIVES : Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic condition characterized by inflammation in the rectum and colon with symptoms including increased frequency of bowel movements, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weight loss and anaemia. Understanding quality of life and patient preferences and how they are associated with factors such as treatment adherence can help inform improvements in treatment. The objective of this study was to explore health related quality of life (HRQoL) and assess patient preferences for medical treatment attributes to obtain information of the relative importance of the different attributes among Danish patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS In collaboration with the Danish patient organization for UC and Chrohn’s Diseases (Colitis-Crohn Foreningen) we collected data from people with self-reported UC via an online survey in March 2018. A total of 302 eligible respondents answered the HRQoL questionnaires EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D-5L) and the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ). 212 patients completed the patient preference questionnaire (discrete choice experiment, DCE). The probability of choosing an alternative from a number of choices in the DCE was estimated using a conditional logit model.

RESULTS : The respondents had an average EQ-5D score of 0.77 (score range 0-1, higher score equals higher HRQoL) and an average SIBDQ score of 4.5 (score range 1-7, higher score equals higher HRQoL). HRQoL correlated with disease severity and the respondents had lower EQ5D than a gender and age matched subset of the Danish population (0.77 vs. 0.89). The discrete choice experiment revealed that the most important medical treatment attribute was efficacy within 8 weeks. Additionally, respondents stated preference for avoiding taking steroids, fast onset of effect and oral formulations.

CONCLUSIONS : Danish patients with UC have lower HRQoL than a gender- and age-matched subset of the general population. Additionally, we show preferences for advanced treatment alternatives among Danish patients with UC.