P099 POST OPERATIVE CROHN'S DISEASE: THE ROLE OF FAECAL LACTOFERRIN IN DETECTING CLINICAL RELAPSE AFTER ILEOCAECAL RESECTION AND MEASUREMENT OF FAECAL ASCA

29contribute to its pathogenesis.Microvascular endothelial dysfunction may contribute to chronic inflammation through the loss of NO-dependent vasodilation.Patients with erectile dysfunction show a clear association with endothelial cell disorders and cardiovascular diseases.Sexual function and fertility could be therefore impaired in IBD patients.Materials and Methods: A questionnaire investigating fertility potential and clinical characteristics of the IBD was administered to 76 consecutive patients (age 18-55), at the time of their gastroenterological visit.Sexual function was similarly investigated using the International Index for Erectile Function (IIEF).Statistic tests were performed with the chi square test.Results: 61 patients (80.2%) completed the questionnaire.49.2% had Crohn' s disease (CD) and 50.8% had ulcerative colitis (UC).A normal fertility score was recorded in 93.8% of the patients (32 CD and 25 UC) while a reduced score in 6.2% (2 CD and 2 UC).The IIEF test showed a mild risk for erectile dysfunction in 15.1% of the patients (6 CD and 4 UC) and a severe risk in 16.4% (6 CD and 5 UC).No association has been found between fertility and sexual indexes and age, type of IBD and clinical characteristics (degree of activity, prescribed therapy, age of onset, surgery or concomitant active perianal disease).Fertility potential did not correlate with the IIEF test.Patients perceive their IBD as possibly affecting their fertility in 14.9% of the patients and their sexual function in 29.9%.Conclusion: About one third of our patients showed an altered IIEF test while fertility problems are less commonly reported.However, since the fertility status can be underestimated by a questionnaire, a larger number of IBD patients can be expected to be infertile.A possible association between IBD and sexual dysfunction has been postulated by 29.9% of the patients.In conclusion, our data suggest that both sexual function and fertility may be negatively affected by the diagnosis of IBD.