Pre-diagnostic meat and fibre intakes in relation to colorectal cancer survival in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition

Improvements in colorectal cancer (CRC) detection and treatment have led to greater numbers of CRC survivors, for whom there is limited evidence on which to provide dietary guidelines to improve survival outcomes. Higher intake of red and processed meat and lower intake of fibre are associated with greater risk of developing CRC, but there is limited evidence regarding associations with survival after CRC diagnosis. Among 3789 CRC cases in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, pre-diagnostic consumption of red meat, processed meat, poultry and dietary fibre was examined in relation to CRC-specific mortality (n 1008) and all-cause mortality (n 1262) using multivariable Cox regression models, adjusted for CRC risk factors. Pre-diagnostic red meat, processed meat or fibre intakes (defined as quartiles and continuous grams per day) were not associated with CRC-specific or all-cause mortality among CRC survivors; however, a marginal trend across quartiles of processed meat in relation to CRC mortality was detected (P 0·053). Pre-diagnostic poultry intake was inversely associated with all-cause mortality among women (hazard ratio (HR)/20 g/d 0·92; 95 % CI 0·84, 1·00), but not among men (HR 1·00; 95 % CI 0·91, 1·09) (P for heterogeneity=0·10). Pre-diagnostic intake of red meat or fibre is not associated with CRC survival in the EPIC cohort. There is suggestive evidence of an association between poultry intake and all-cause mortality among female CRC survivors and between processed meat intake and CRC-specific mortality; however, further research using post-diagnostic dietary data is required to confirm this relationship.

Dairy Products, Dietary Calcium, and Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Results From a European Prospective Cohort Investigation

BACKGROUND

Dairy products may be involved in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease by modulating gut microbiota and immune responses, but data from epidemiological studies examining this relationship are limited. We investigated the association between prediagnostic intake of these foods and dietary calcium, and the subsequent development of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS

In total, 401,326 participants were enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. At recruitment, consumption of total and specific dairy products (milk, yogurt, and cheese) and dietary calcium was measured using validated food frequency questionnaires. Cases developing incident CD (n = 110) or UC (n = 244) during follow-up were matched with 4 controls. Conditional logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for total energy intake and smoking.

RESULTS

Compared with the lowest quartile, the ORs for the highest quartile of total dairy products and dietary calcium intake were 0.61 (95% CI, 0.32-1.19, p trend = 0.19) and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.28-1.42, p trend = 0.23) for CD, and 0.80 (95% CI, 0.50-1.30, p trend = 0.40) and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.49-1.34, p trend = 0.60) for UC, respectively. Compared with nonconsumers, individuals consuming milk had significantly reduced odds of CD (OR 0.30, 95% CI, 0.13-0.65) and nonsignificantly reduced odds of UC (OR 0.85, 95% CI, 0.49-1.47).

CONCLUSIONS

Milk consumption may be associated with a decreased risk of developing CD, although a clear dose-response relationship was not established. Further studies are warranted to confirm this possible protective effect.

Conditions of prescription of anti-TNF agents in newly treated patients with inflammatory bowel disease in France (2011-2013)

BACKGROUND

Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (anti-TNFs) are active but expensive drugs that induce and maintain remission in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

AIMS

To assess the trends in anti-TNF prescription and the conditions of prescription of these drugs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in France.

METHODS

Incidence study of anti-TNF use was performed based on French medico-administrative databases (SNIIRAM/PMSI). IBD patients who initiated adalimumab or infliximab between 2011 and 2013 were selected.

RESULTS

The number of new anti-TNF users increased from 4571 to 5875 between 2011 and 2013 (+29%). More specifically, the number of patients not treated with immunosuppressants (IS) during the previous 12 months increased from 2100 to 3007 (+43%), among whom 379 patients in 2011 and 570 patients in 2013 started combination therapy (+50%). These trends were observed for both CD and UC. Patients who were naïve of IS were hospitalised more frequently than those treated with IS prior to anti-TNF therapy.

CONCLUSION

This study shows a rapid increase in new prescriptions of anti-TNF for both CD and UC in France between 2011 and 2013. These results suggest a change in medical practices, with anti-TNF agents prescribed more often as first-line maintenance treatment.

Cancer Immunotherapy with Anti-CTLA-4 Monoclonal Antibodies Induces an Inflammatory Bowel Disease

BACKGROUND

Therapeutic monoclonal anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) antibodies are associated with immune-mediated enterocolitis. The aim of this study was to provide a detailed description of this entity.

METHODS

We included patients with endoscopic signs of inflammation after anti-CTLA-4 infusions for cancer treatment. Other causes of enterocolitis were excluded. Clinical, biological and endoscopic data were recorded. A single pathologist reviewed endoscopic biopsies and colectomy specimens from 27 patients. Patients with and without enterocolitis after ipilimumab-treated melanoma were compared, to identify clinical factors associated with enterocolitis.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine patients with anti-CTLA-4 enterocolitis were included (ipilimumab n = 37; tremelimumab n = 2). The most frequent symptom was diarrhoea. Ten patients had extra-intestinal manifestations. Most colonoscopies showed ulcerations involving the rectum and sigmoid, 66% of patients had extensive colitis, 55% had patchy distribution and 20% had ileal inflammation. Endoscopic colonic biopsies showed acute colitis in most patients, while half of the patients had chronic duodenitis. Thirty-five patients received steroids that led to complete clinical remission in 13 patients (37%). Twelve patients required infliximab, of whom 10 (83%) responded. Six patients underwent colectomy (perforation n = 5; toxic megacolon n = 1); one of them died postoperatively. Four patients had a persistent enterocolitis at follow-up colonoscopy. Patients with enterocolitis were more frequently prescribed NSAIDs compared with patients without enterocolitis (31 vs 5%, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS

Ipilimumab and tremelimumab may induce a severe and extensive form of inflammatory bowel disease. Rapid escalation to infliximab should be advocated in patients who do not respond to steroids. Patients treated with anti-CTLA-4 should be advised to avoid NSAIDs.

Methotrexate Is Not Superior to Placebo for Inducing Steroid-Free Remission, but Induces Steroid-Free Clinical Remission in a Larger Proportion of Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Parenteral methotrexate is an effective treatment for patients with Crohn's disease, but has never been adequately evaluated in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine its safety and efficacy in patients with steroid-dependent UC.

METHODS

We performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of parenteral methotrexate (25 mg/wk) in 111 patients with corticosteroid-dependent UC at 26 medical centers in Europe from 2007 through 2013. Patients were given prednisone (10 to 40 mg/d) when the study began and were randomly assigned to groups (1:1) given placebo or methotrexate (intramuscularly or subcutaneously, 25 mg weekly) for 24 weeks. The primary end point was steroid-free remission (defined as a Mayo score ≤2 with no item >1 and complete withdrawal of steroids) at week 16. Secondary endpoints included clinical remission (defined as a Mayo clinical subscore ≤2 with no item >1) and endoscopic healing without steroids at weeks 16 and/or 24, remission without steroids at week 24, and remission at both weeks 16 and 24.

RESULTS

Steroid-free remission at week 16 was achieved by 19 of 60 patients given methotrexate (31.7%) and 10 of 51 patients given placebo (19.6%)--a difference of 12.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -4.0% to 28.1%; P = .15). The proportion of patients in steroid-free clinical remission at week 16 was 41.7% in the methotrexate group and 23.5% in the placebo group, for a difference of 18.1% (95% CI: 1.1% to 35.2%; P = .04). The proportions of patients with steroid-free endoscopic healing at week 16 were 35% in the methotrexate group and 25.5% in the placebo group--a difference of 9.5% (95% CI: -7.5% to 26.5%; P = .28). No differences were observed in other secondary end points. More patients receiving placebo discontinued the study because of adverse events (47.1%), mostly caused by UC, than patients receiving methotrexate (26.7%; P = .03). A higher proportion of patients in the methotrexate group had nausea and vomiting (21.7%) than in the placebo group (3.9%; P = .006).

CONCLUSIONS

In a randomized controlled trial, parenteral methotrexate was not superior to placebo for induction of steroid-free remission in patients with UC. However, methotrexate induced clinical remission without steroids in a significantly larger percentage of patients, resulting in fewer withdrawals from therapy due to active UC. ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT00498589.

Dietary Patterns and Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Europe: Results from the EPIC Study

BACKGROUND

Specific nutrients or foods have been inconsistently associated with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) risks. Thus, we investigated associations between diet as a whole, as dietary patterns, and UC and CD risks.

METHODS

Within the prospective EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer) study, we set up a nested matched case-control study among 366,351 participants with inflammatory bowel disease data, including 256 incident cases of UC and 117 of CD, and 4 matched controls per case. Dietary intake was recorded at baseline from validated food frequency questionnaires. Incidence rate ratios of developing UC and CD were calculated for quintiles of the Mediterranean diet score and a posteriori dietary patterns produced by factor analysis.

RESULTS

No dietary pattern was associated with either UC or CD risks. However, when excluding cases occurring within the first 2 years after dietary assessment, there was a positive association between a "high sugar and soft drinks" pattern and UC risk (incidence rate ratios for the fifth versus first quintile, 1.68 [1.00-2.82]; Ptrend = 0.02). When considering the foods most associated with the pattern, high consumers of sugar and soft drinks were at higher UC risk only if they had low vegetables intakes.

CONCLUSIONS

A diet imbalance with high consumption of sugar and soft drinks and low consumption of vegetables was associated with UC risk. Further studies are needed to investigate whether microbiota alterations or other mechanisms mediate this association.

Management of immune checkpoint blockade dysimmune toxicities: a collaborative position paper

Monoclonal antibodies targeted against the immune checkpoint molecules CTLA-4 and PD-1 have recently obtained approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and advanced/refractory non small-cell lung cancers. Therefore, their use will not be limited anymore to selected hospitals involved in clinical trials. Indeed, they will be routinely prescribed in many cancer centers across the world. Besides their efficacy profile, these immune targeted agents also generate immune-related adverse events (irAEs). This new family of dysimmune toxicities remains largely unknown to the broad oncology community. Although severe irAEs remain rare (∼10% of cases under monotherapy), they can become life-threatening if not anticipated and managed appropriately. Over the last 5 years, Gustave Roussy has accumulated a significant experience in the prescription of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) antibodies and the management of their toxicities. Together with the collaboration of Gustave Roussy's network of organ specialists with expertise in irAEs, we propose here some practical guidelines for the oncologist to help in the clinical care of patients under ICB immunotherapy.

The Association between Glyceraldehyde-Derived Advanced Glycation End-Products and Colorectal Cancer Risk

BACKGROUND

A large proportion of colorectal cancers are thought to be associated with unhealthy dietary and lifestyle exposures, particularly energy excess, obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperglycemia. It has been suggested that these processes stimulate the production of toxic reactive carbonyls from sugars such as glyceraldehyde. Glyceraldehyde contributes to the production of a group of compounds known as glyceraldehyde-derived advanced glycation end-products (glycer-AGEs), which may promote colorectal cancer through their proinflammatory and pro-oxidative properties. The objective of this study nested within a prospective cohort was to explore the association of circulating glycer-AGEs with risk of colorectal cancer.

METHODS

A total of 1,055 colorectal cancer cases (colon n = 659; rectal n = 396) were matchced (1:1) to control subjects. Circulating glycer-AGEs were measured by a competitive ELISA. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), adjusting for potential confounding factors, including smoking, alcohol, physical activity, body mass index, and diabetes status.

RESULTS

Elevated glycer-AGEs levels were not associated with colorectal cancer risk (highest vs. lowest quartile, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.82-1.49). Subgroup analyses showed possible divergence by anatomical subsites (OR for colon cancer, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.57-1.22; OR for rectal cancer, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.14-3.19; Pheterogeneity = 0.14).

CONCLUSIONS

In this prospective study, circulating glycer-AGEs were not associated with risk of colon cancer, but showed a positive association with the risk of rectal cancer.

IMPACT

Further research is needed to clarify the role of toxic products of carbohydrate metabolism and energy excess in colorectal cancer development.

Anticancer immunotherapy by CTLA-4 blockade relies on the gut microbiota

Antibodies targeting CTLA-4 have been successfully used as cancer immunotherapy. We find that the antitumor effects of CTLA-4 blockade depend on distinct Bacteroides species. In mice and patients, T cell responses specific for B. thetaiotaomicron or B. fragilis were associated with the efficacy of CTLA-4 blockade. Tumors in antibiotic-treated or germ-free mice did not respond to CTLA blockade. This defect was overcome by gavage with B. fragilis, by immunization with B. fragilis polysaccharides, or by adoptive transfer of B. fragilis-specific T cells. Fecal microbial transplantation from humans to mice confirmed that treatment of melanoma patients with antibodies against CTLA-4 favored the outgrowth of B. fragilis with anticancer properties. This study reveals a key role for Bacteroidales in the immunostimulatory effects of CTLA-4 blockade.

Gastrointestinal Disorder Associated with Olmesartan Mimics Autoimmune Enteropathy

Background and Objectives

Anti-hypertensive treatment with the angiotensin II receptor antagonist olmesartan is a rare cause of severe Sprue-like enteropathy. To substantiate the hypothesis that olmesartan interferes with gut immune homeostasis, clinical, histopathological and immune features were compared in olmesartan-induced-enteropathy (OIE) and in autoimmune enteropathy (AIE).

Methods

Medical files of seven patients with OIE and 4 patients with AIE enrolled during the same period were retrospectively reviewed. Intestinal biopsies were collected for central histopathological review, T cell Receptor clonality and flow cytometric analysis of isolated intestinal lymphocytes.

Results

Among seven olmesartan-treated patients who developed villous atrophy refractory to a gluten free diet, three had extra-intestinal autoimmune diseases, two had antibodies reacting with the 75 kilodalton antigen characteristic of AIE and one had serum anti-goblet cell antibodies. Small intestinal lesions and signs of intestinal lymphocyte activation were thus reminiscent of the four cases of AIE diagnosed during the same period. Before olmesartan discontinuation, remission was induced in all patients (7/7) by immunosuppressive drugs. After interruption of both olmesartan and immunosuppressive drugs in six patients, remission was maintained in 4 but anti-TNF-α therapy was needed in two.

Conclusion

This case-series shows that olmesartan can induce intestinal damage mimicking AIE. OIE usually resolved after olmesartan interruption but immunosuppressive drugs may be necessary to achieve remission. Our data sustain the hypothesis that olmesartan interferes with intestinal immuno regulation in predisposed individuals.

Carbohydrate intake in the etiology of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND

Diet may have a role in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease. In previous studies, the associations between increased intakes of carbohydrates, sugar, starch, and inflammatory bowel disease are inconsistent. However, few prospective studies have investigated the associations between these macronutrients and incident Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS

A total of 401,326 men and women were recruited between 1991 and 1998. At recruitment, dietary intakes of carbohydrate, sugar, and starch were measured using validated food frequency questionnaires. The cohort was monitored identifying participants who developed incident CD or UC. Cases were matched with 4 controls, and odds ratios were calculated for quintiles of total carbohydrate, sugar, and starch intakes adjusted for total energy intake, body mass index, and smoking.

RESULTS

One hundred ten participants developed CD, and 244 participants developed UC during follow-up. The adjusted odds ratio for the highest versus the lowest quintiles of total carbohydrate intake for CD was 0.87, 95% CI = 0.24 to 3.12 and for UC 1.46, 95% CI = 0.62 to 3.46, with no significant trends across quintiles for either (CD, P trend = 0.70; UC, P trend = 0.41). Similarly, no associations were observed with intakes of total sugar (CD, P trend = 0.50; UC, P trend = 0.71) or starch (CD, P trend = 0.69; UC, P trend = 0.17).

CONCLUSIONS

The lack of associations with these nutrients is in agreement with many case-control studies that have not identified associations with CD or UC. As there is biological plausibility for how specific carbohydrates could have an etiological role in inflammatory bowel disease, future epidemiological work should assess individual carbohydrates, although there does not seem to be a macronutrient effect.

Olmesartan-associated enteropathy: results of a national survey

BACKGROUND

Recently, a new enteropathy has been described: olmesartan-associated enteropathy. However, the association has been questioned: a phase 3 trial and a cohort study found no association between gastrointestinal events and olmesartan.

AIM

To collect French cases of sartan-associated enteropathy to describe further this entity, confirm or refute causality, and determine if the association exists with other sartans.

METHODS

French gastroenterologists were invited to report cases of sartan-associated enteropathy and collect clinical, biological and histological data. Patients with diarrhoea and histological duodenal abnormalities were included.

RESULTS

Thirty-six patients with olmesartan-associated enteropathy were reported, including 32 with villous atrophy and four without. There was only one patient with irbesartan-associated enteropathy. None of the patients died. Patients with villous atrophy had diarrhoea, vomiting, renal failure, hypokalaemia, body weight loss and hypoalbuminaemia. Thirty-one patients were hospitalised; four required intensive care. Anti-transglutaminase and anti-enterocyte antibodies were negative; anti-nuclear antibodies were positive (9/11). Endoscopic duodenal biopsies showed villous atrophy (32/32) and polyclonal intra-epithelial CD3+CD8+ lymphocytosis (11/11). Exactly, 14/15 patients responded to steroids and/or immunosuppressants, prescribed because of suspected autoimmune enteropathy. Ten olmesartan interruptions were followed by reintroductions before steroids or immunosuppressants. Interruptions were followed by remissions (9/10), but reintroductions were followed by relapses (9/9). Twenty-nine patients were in remission since olmesartan interruption, including 26 without immunosuppressants. Patients with normal villi had similar clinical characteristics, but mild histological abnormalities (intra-epithelial lymphocytosis and lamina propria lymphocytic infiltration).

CONCLUSIONS

Olmesartan causes a severe and immune-mediated enteropathy, with or without villous atrophy. Enteropathy associated with other sartans seems to be very rare.

Risk of new or recurrent cancer under immunosuppressive therapy in patients with IBD and previous cancer

OBJECTIVE

To explore the risk of new or recurrent cancer among patients with IBD and previous cancer, exposed or not to immunosuppressants.

DESIGN

Among the 17 047 patients of the CESAME prospective observational cohort who were enrolled from May 2004 to June 2005, and followed-up until December 2007, we identified 405 patients with cancer diagnosed previous to study entry. We calculated the rates of incident cancer in patients with or without previous cancer, and we assessed by survival analysis and nested case-control study the impact of immunosuppressants on the risk of incident new or recurrent cancer in patients with previous cancer.

RESULTS

The rate of incident cancer was 21.1/1000 patient-years (PY) and 6.1/1000 PY in patients with and without previous cancer, respectively. The multivariate-adjusted HR of incident cancer between patients with and without previous cancer was 1.9 (95% CI 1.2 to 3.0, p=0.003). Among patients with previous cancer, the rates of new and recurrent cancers were, respectively, 13.2/1000 PY and 6.0/1000 PY in the 312 patients who were not taking immunosuppressant at the time of study entry, and 23.1/1000 PY and 3.9/1000 PY in the 93 patients treated with immunosuppressants at study entry. There was no significant association between the exposure to immunosuppressants and the risk of new or recurrent cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with IBD with a history of cancer are at increased risk of developing any (new or recurrent) cancer, with a predominant incidence of new cancers. Treatment with immunosuppressants has no overall major impact per se on this risk.

Factors associated with pregnancy outcome in anti-TNF treated women with inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

The safety of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents during pregnancy is a major concern for child-bearing women and physicians.

AIM

To assess the impact of anti-TNF therapy on adverse pregnancy and foetal outcomes in women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

Pregnancies occurring during anti-TNF treatment or less than 3 months after its cessation in IBD patients followed in GETAID centres were recorded from January 2009 to December 2010. Ninety-nine pregnancies in women without anti-TNF treatment were identified from the CESAME registry. We compared pregnancy and neonatal outcomes by a case-control study.

RESULTS

In the 124 IBD patients followed, 133 pregnancies were reported. At the conception time, 23% of patients had active disease. Eighty-eight per cent (n = 117) of the 133 pregnancies followed until delivery resulted in 118 liveborns (one twin pregnancy). Complications were observed in 47 (35%) women and 24 (20%) newborns. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with pregnancy complications were: current smoking (P = 0.004), a B2 (stenotic) phenotype in CD women (P = 0.004), occurrence of a flare during pregnancy (P = 0.006) and a past history of complicated pregnancy (P = 0.007). Current smoking was the only factor associated with severe (i.e. potentially lethal) pregnancy complications (P = 0.02). Having IBD for more than 10 years prior to conception was associated with newborn complications (P = 0.007). No difference was found with the control group for any of the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.

CONCLUSION

In our series, the safety profile of anti-TNF therapy during pregnancy and the neonatal period appears similar to control group of IBD women not treated with anti-TNF therapy.

FOLFIRINOX for locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma: results of an AGEO multicenter prospective observational cohort

BACKGROUND

First-line treatment with FOLFIRINOX significantly increases overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) compared with gemcitabine. The aim of this observational cohort was to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of this regimen in unresectable locally advanced PA (LAPA).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From February 2010 to February 2012, all consecutive patients from 11 French centers treated by FOLFIRINOX for a histologically proven LAPA were prospectively enrolled. Unresectability was defined independently by each center's multidisciplinary staff at diagnosis. Absence of metastatic disease was confirmed by chest-abdomen-pelvis computed tomography scan. FOLFIRINOX was delivered every 2 weeks as previously reported until progressive disease, major toxicity, or consolidation treatment by radiotherapy and/or surgery.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven patients were enrolled. They received a median number of five cycles (1-30). Grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia (11 %), nausea (9 %), diarrhea (6 %), fatigue (6 %), and anemia (1 %). Grade 2-3 sensory neuropathy occurred in 25 % of patients. No toxic death was reported and only 6 % of patients had to stop treatment because of toxicity. Disease control rate was 84 with 28 % of objective response (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors). Seventy-five percent of patients received a consolidation therapy: 70 % had radiotherapy and 36 % underwent a surgical resection, with a curative intent. Within the whole cohort, 1-year OS rate was 77 % (95 % CI 65-86) and 1-year progression-free survival rate was 59 % (95 % CI 46-70).

CONCLUSION

First-line FOLFIRINOX for LAPA seems to be effective and have a manageable toxicity profile. These promising results will have to be confirmed in a phase III randomized trial.

Isotretinoin and risk of inflammatory bowel disease: a French nationwide study

OBJECTIVES

Isotretinoin, a drug widely prescribed for severe acne, has been suspected to increase the risk of ulcerative colitis (UC), but data are conflicting. To further examine the association between isotretinoin use and risk for UC and Crohn's disease (CD), we conducted a large nationwide case-control study in France.

METHODS

We used information from the National Health Insurance system for all French people covered by the general scheme between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2010, totaling over 50 million individuals (i.e., 76% of the whole French population). All incident claims for UC and CD and all medical drug reimbursements were automatically recorded in the database. For each case, four controls were matched on age, gender, year of enrollment, and follow-up duration. The association between isotretinoin use and UC or CD claim was estimated by conditional logistic regression.

RESULTS

We included 7,593 cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; 3,187 UC, 4,397 CD, and 9 indeterminate colitis) and 30,372 controls; among them, 26 cases (0.3%) (15 UC (0.5%) and 11 CD (0.3%)) and 140 controls (0.4%) were exposed to isotretinoin. Isotretinoin exposure was not associated with an increased risk for UC (odds ratio (OR)=1.36 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.76, 2.45)) but was associated with a decreased risk for CD (OR=0.45 (95% CI: 0.24, 0.85)), P value for homogeneity between UC and CD=0.001. Results were similar in analyses restricted to individuals below the age of 40 years, to cases with colonoscopy or intestinal surgery, or when adjusting for other acne treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

In this population-based case-control study, isotretinoin use was not associated with increased UC risk but was associated with a decreased CD risk. This study provides reassuring data for people using isotretinoin.

Early administration of azathioprine vs conventional management of Crohn's Disease: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Immunomodulator therapy is effective for patients with Crohn's disease (CD) but has not been shown to affect disease progression, presumably because it is given too late after diagnosis. We compared the efficacy of early treatment (within 6 months after diagnosis) with azathioprine versus conventional management of patients at high risk for disabling disease.

METHODS

We performed an open-label trial of adults with a diagnosis of CD for less than 6 months who were at risk for disabling disease. From July 2005 to November 2010, patients at 24 French centers were randomly assigned to treatment with azathioprine (2.5 mg ∙ kg(-1) ∙ day(-1), n = 65) or conventional management (azathioprine only in cases of corticosteroid dependency, chronic active disease with frequent flares, poor response to corticosteroids, or development of severe perianal disease) (n = 67). The primary end point was the proportion of trimesters spent in corticosteroid-free and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-free remission during the first 3 years after inclusion.

RESULTS

During the 3-year follow-up period, 16 patients in the azathioprine group were switched to mercaptopurine or methotrexate therapy because of intolerance or poor efficacy. Forty-one patients in the conventional management group required immunosuppressant therapy (61%; median time to first prescription, 11 months). In the azathioprine group, a median 67% of trimesters were spent in remission (interquartile range, 11%-85%) compared with 56% in the conventional management group (interquartile range, 29%-73%) (P = .69). Among secondary outcomes, a higher cumulative proportion of patients in the azathioprine group were free of perianal surgery than in the conventional management group (96% ± 3% and 82% ± 6% at month 36, respectively; P = .036). The cumulative proportion of patients free of intestinal surgery and anti-TNF therapy did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on results from a clinical trial, administration of azathioprine within 6 months of diagnosis of CD was no more effective than conventional management in increasing time of clinical remission. Clinicaltrials.gov, Number NCT00546546.

[Disseminated varicella-zoster virus infection with hemorrhagic gastritis during the course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia: case report and literature review]

INTRODUCTION

The reactivation of varicella-zoster virus occurs in immunocompromised patients, especially in cases of hematological malignancy. Disseminated reactivation could involve digestive tract with life-threatening condition.

CASE REPORT

A 76-year-old woman, with a history of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, presented with left hypochondrium pain, and a vesicular rash with hemorrhagic shock that revealed an hemorrhagic gastritis due to varicella-zoster virus. The literature review identified 28 additional cases of gastrointestinal mucosal damage during reactivation of varicella-zoster virus. Mortality is 40%. We report here the first case in the course of low-grade lymphoid malignancy.

CONCLUSION

Acute gastrointestinal symptoms in immunocompromised patients should evoke a varicella-zoster virus reactivation with gastrointestinal involvement. This clinical manifestation, although rare, should not be ignored because of its severity.

The complexity of adverse side-effects to biological agents

Whereas adverse effects induced by xenobiotics are mainly linked to the pharmacological effect, the adverse side-effects induced by biological agents (BA) are often target-related and linked to the biological consequences of their action. Based on these differences, an original classification of the adverse effects has been proposed. Five types of adverse effects induced by BA are described (α, β, γ, δ, and ε). This classification provides a very useful scheme for a better understanding of these adverse effects. This approach should help to better characterize the pathogenic mechanisms involved and to optimize their management. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the specific risks related to this relatively new class of drugs. Close monitoring of these BA is therefore recommended.