Risk factors associated with progression to intestinal complications of Crohn's disease in a population-based cohort

Incidence and clinical course of Crohn's disease during the first year - results from the IBD Cohort of the Uppsala Region (ICURE) of Sweden 2005-2009

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

As a part of the Swedish ICURE study where the epidemiological results of ulcerative colitis and microscopic colitis recently have been published, we hereby present the corresponding figures for Crohn's disease.

METHODS

All patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease in Uppsala County (305,381 inhabitants) were prospectively registered during 2005-2006 and the same for all new patients with Crohn's disease in Uppsala Region (642,117 inhabitants) during 2007-2009.

RESULTS

264 patients with Crohn's disease were included. The mean annual incidence was 9.9/100,000/year (95% CI: 7.1-12.6). Incidence among children <17 years was 10.0/100,000/year (95% CI: 3.8-16.3). 51% of the patients had ileal involvement (L1: n=73, 28%. L2: n=129, 49%. L3: n=62, 23%, L4: n=47, 18%) and 23% had a stricturing or penetrating disease (B1: n=204, 77%. B2: n=34, 13%. B3: n=26, 10%. p: n=27, 10%). Intestinal resection rate during the first year was 12.5%. Patients with complicated disease had longer symptom duration before diagnosis compared to patients with non-complicated disease (median months 12.0, IQR: 3.0-24.0 vs 4.0, IQR: 2.0-12.0, p=0.0032). Patients 40 years or older had an increased risk for surgery (HR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.01-4.08, p=0.0457).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of Crohn's disease in a region of Sweden is one of the highest reported in Europe. Long symptom duration precedes stricturing or penetrating behaviour. Old age is an independent risk factor for surgery.

Phenotypic features of Crohn's disease associated with failure of medical treatment

BACKGROUND & AIMS

There is conflicting evidence on the effects of thiopurines (azathioprine or mercaptopurine) and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapies on rates of surgery among patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We aimed to identify factors that identify patients who are unlikely to respond to medical therapy and will therefore require surgery.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study using the Alberta Inflammatory Bowel Disease Consortium registry to identify 425 patients diagnosed with CD who received a prescription of a thiopurine and/or an anti-TNF agent from a referral center, from July 1, 1975, through September 13, 2012. We collected data on CD-related abdominal surgery after therapy and disease features when therapy was instituted. Cox proportional regression models were used to associate disease features with outcomes after adjusting for potential confounders. Risk estimates were presented as hazard rate ratios (HRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Among patients given thiopurines, stricturing disease (adjusted HR, 4.63; 95% CI, 2.00-10.71), ileal location (adjusted HR, 6.20; 95% CI, 1.64-23.42), and ileocolonic location (adjusted HR, 3.71; 95% CI, 1.08-12.74) at the time of prescription were associated significantly with the need for surgery. Prescription of an anti-TNF agent after prescription of a thiopurine reduced the risk for surgery, compared with patients prescribed only a thiopurine (adjusted HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.22-0.75). Among patients given anti-TNF agents, stricturing (adjusted HR, 6.17; 95% CI, 2.81-13.54) and penetrating disease (adjusted HR, 3.39; 95% CI, 1.45-7.92) at the time of prescription were associated significantly with surgery. Older age at diagnosis (17-40 y) reduced the risk for abdominal surgery (adjusted HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.21-0.80) compared with a younger age group (≤16 y). Surgery before drug prescription reduced the risk for further surgeries among patients who received thiopurines (adjusted HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.13-0.68) or anti-TNF agents (adjusted HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.25-0.96). Terminal ileal disease location was not associated with a stricturing phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on a retrospective database analysis, patients prescribed thiopurine or anti-TNF therapy when they have a complicated stage of CD are more likely to require surgery. Better patient outcomes are achieved by treating CD at early inflammation stages; delayed treatment increases rates of treatment failure.

Natural history of elderly-onset inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based cohort study

Data on the natural history of elderly-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are scarce.

METHODS

In a French population-based cohort we identified 841 IBD patients >60 years of age at diagnosis from 1988 to 2006, including 367 Crohn's disease (CD) and 472 ulcerative colitis (UC).

RESULTS

Median age at diagnosis was similar for CD (70 years (IQR: 65-76)) and UC (69 years (64-74)). Median follow-up was 6 years (2-11) for both diseases. At diagnosis, in CD, pure colonic disease (65%) and inflammatory behaviour (78%) were the most frequent phenotype. At maximal follow-up digestive extension and complicated behaviour occurred in 8% and 9%, respectively. In UC, 29% of patients had proctitis, 45% left-sided and 26% extensive colitis without extension during follow-up in 84%. In CD cumulative probabilities of receiving corticosteroids (CSs), immunosuppressants (ISs) and anti tumor necrosis factor therapy were respectively 47%, 27% and 9% at 10 years. In UC cumulative probabilities of receiving CS and IS were 40% and 15%, respectively at 10 years. Cumulative probabilities of surgery at 1 year and 10 years were 18% and 32%, respectively in CD and 4% and 8%, respectively in UC. In CD complicated behaviour at diagnosis (HR: 2.6; 95% CI 1.5 to 4.6) was associated with an increased risk for surgery while CS was associated with a decreased risk (HR: 0.5; 0.3 to 0.8). In UC CS was associated with an increased risk (HR: 2.2; 1.1 to 4.6) for colectomy.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical course is mild in elderly-onset IBD patients. This information would need to be taken into account by physicians when therapeutic strategies are established.

Challenges in designing a national surveillance program for inflammatory bowel disease in the United States

This review describes the history of U.S. government funding for surveillance programs in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), provides current estimates of the incidence and prevalence of IBD in the United States, and enumerates a number of challenges faced by current and future IBD surveillance programs. A rationale for expanding the focus of IBD surveillance beyond counts of incidence and prevalence, to provide a greater understanding of the burden of IBD, disease etiology, and pathogenesis, is provided. Lessons learned from other countries are summarized, in addition to potential resources that may be used to optimize a new form of IBD surveillance in the United States. A consensus recommendation on the goals and available resources for a new model for disease surveillance are provided. This new model should focus on "surveillance of the burden of disease," including (1) natural history of disease and (2) outcomes and complications of the disease and/or treatments.

Clinical and genetic factors predicting response to therapy in patients with Crohn's disease

AIM

To identify clinical and/or genetic predictors of response to several therapies in Crohn's disease (CD) patients.

METHODS

We included 242 patients with CD (133 females) aged (mean ± standard deviation) 39 ± 12 years and a disease duration of 12 ± 8 years. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) studied were ABCB1 C3435T and G2677T/A, IL23R G1142A, C2370A, and G9T, CASP9 C93T, Fas G670A and LgC844T, and ATG16L1 A898G. Genotyping was performed with real-time PCR with Taqman probes.

RESULTS

Older patients responded better to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and to azathioprine (OR 1.07, p = 0.003 and OR 1.03, p = 0.01, respectively) while younger ones responded better to biologicals (OR 0.95, p = 0.06). Previous surgery negatively influenced response to 5-ASA compounds (OR 0.25, p = 0.05), but favoured response to azathioprine (OR 2.1, p = 0.04). In respect to genetic predictors, we observed that heterozygotes for ATGL16L1 SNP had a significantly higher chance of responding to corticosteroids (OR 2.51, p = 0.04), while homozygotes for Casp9 C93T SNP had a lower chance of responding both to corticosteroids and to azathioprine (OR 0.23, p = 0.03 and OR 0.08, p = 0.02,). TT carriers of ABCB1 C3435T SNP had a higher chance of responding to azathioprine (OR 2.38, p = 0.01), while carriers of ABCB1 G2677T/A SNP, as well as responding better to azathioprine (OR 1.89, p = 0.07), had a lower chance of responding to biologicals (OR 0.31, p = 0.07), which became significant after adjusting for gender (OR 0.75, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, we were able to identify a number of clinical and genetic predictors of response to several therapies which may become of potential utility in clinical practice. These are preliminary results that need to be replicated in future pharmacogenomic studies.

An anti-inflammatory diet as treatment for inflammatory bowel disease: a case series report

Background

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet (IBD-AID) is a nutritional regimen for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that restricts the intake of certain carbohydrates, includes the ingestion of pre- and probiotic foods, and modifies dietary fatty acids to demonstrate the potential of an adjunct dietary therapy for the treatment of IBD.

Methods

Forty patients with IBD were consecutively offered the IBD-AID to help treat their disease, and were retrospectively reviewed. Medical records of 11 of those patients underwent further review to determine changes in the Harvey Bradshaw Index (HBI) or Modified Truelove and Witts Severity Index (MTLWSI), before and after the diet.

Results

Of the 40 patients with IBD, 13 patients chose not to attempt the diet (33%). Twenty-four patients had either a good or very good response after reaching compliance (60%), and 3 patients’ results were mixed (7%). Of those 11 adult patients who underwent further medical record review, 8 with CD, and 3 with UC, the age range was 19–70 years, and they followed the diet for 4 or more weeks. After following the IBD-AID, all (100%) patients were able to discontinue at least one of their prior IBD medications, and all patients had symptom reduction including bowel frequency. The mean baseline HBI was 11 (range 1–20), and the mean follow-up score was 1.5 (range 0–3). The mean baseline MTLWSI was 7 (range 6–8), and the mean follow-up score was 0. The average decrease in the HBI was 9.5 and the average decrease in the MTLWSI was 7.

Conclusion

This case series indicates potential for the IBD-AID as an adjunct dietary therapy for the treatment of IBD. A randomized clinical trial is warranted.

Novel concepts in inflammatory bowel disease

INTRODUCTION

Clinical management in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is constantly changing. Although improvement in symptoms is of paramount importance, using this as the only surrogate marker of disease activity might underestimate disease burden.

SOURCES OF DATA

New data from randomized clinical trials are now available. Treatment paradigms are constantly changing leading to an evolution in the therapeutic approach in routine IBD practice.

AREAS OF AGREEMENT

Patients with an aggressive disease phenotype should be identified at the onset and treated more intensely in order to achieve long-lasting mucosal remission.

AREAS OF CONTROVERSY

Patients who have mild and indolent disease need to be identified and not over treated.

GROWING POINTS

The primary endpoint in IBD management should ideally be mucosal healing. Ample data are now available that correlates mucosal healing with surgical-free outcomes with minimal intestinal damage and patient disability. However, the exact degree of mucosal healing that will lead to improved long-term remission, decreased hospital and surgical rates remains unknown.

AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH

Clinical translational work is needed to identify novel pathways in IBD pathogenesis that sub-select patients who would benefit by specific-cytokine pathway modulation.

Younger age at diagnosis is associated with panenteric, but not more aggressive, Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Crohn's disease (CD) diagnosed in pediatric patients has been reported to have a more aggressive phenotype and course, with a greater prevalence of upper gastrointestinal involvement, than in adults. However, studies have not accounted for differences in diagnostic tests. We aimed to discern whether, in fact, CD diagnosed in childhood has a different outcome than CD diagnosed in adults.

METHODS

We performed comprehensive medical chart reviews of 571 patients with CD (451 with complete data) who were followed in a single referral inflammatory bowel disease clinic in Winnipeg, Canada, from 1993-2012. For specific time intervals, we determined types and numbers of imaging studies performed and parameters of disease phenotype, including age at diagnosis according to the Montreal classification (A1 diagnosed <17 years of age, A2 diagnosed 17-40 years, and A3 diagnosed >40 years).

RESULTS

Within 1 year of diagnosis, a higher proportion of A1 patients had upper gastrointestinal involvement and ileocolonic (L3) disease than A2 or A3 patients. These differences could be partly accounted for by the diagnostic tests performed during this time period. Although A1 patients underwent more extensive imaging studies, they had a lower prevalence of complicated disease, particularly compared with A3 patients. After a median follow-up period of 11.1 years, complicated disease behavior (B2 [structuring] or B3 [penetrating]) was similar among the 3 groups. Nonetheless, at the end of the study period, rates of inflammatory bowel disease-related abdominal surgery were significantly lower for A1 than A2 patients (odds ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-0.98) but not for A3 patients (odds ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.40-1.27).

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of a database analysis of different age groups of patients with CD, studies of disease phenotypes among different cohorts should account for different patterns of diagnostic imaging evaluation. Our data show that although children are at increased risk of panenteric disease, they are not more likely to have more complicated disease or undergo surgery than adults.

Initial disease course and treatment in an inflammatory bowel disease inception cohort in Europe: the ECCO-EpiCom cohort

BACKGROUND

The EpiCom cohort is a prospective, population-based, inception cohort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients from 31 European centers covering a background population of 10.1 million. The aim of this study was to assess the 1-year outcome in the EpiCom cohort.

METHODS

Patients were followed-up every third month during the first 12 (±3) months, and clinical data, demographics, disease activity, medical therapy, surgery, cancers, and deaths were collected and entered in a Web-based database (www.epicom-ecco.eu).

RESULTS

In total, 1367 patients were included in the 1-year follow-up. In western Europe, 65 Crohn's disease (CD) (16%), 20 ulcerative colitis (UC) (4%), and 4 IBD unclassified (4%) patients underwent surgery, and in eastern Europe, 12 CD (12%) and 2 UC (1%) patients underwent surgery. Eighty-one CD (20%), 80 UC (14%), and 13 (9%) IBD unclassified patients were hospitalized in western Europe compared with 17 CD (16%) and 12 UC (8%) patients in eastern Europe. The cumulative probability of receiving immunomodulators was 57% for CD in western (median time to treatment 2 months) and 44% (1 month) in eastern Europe, and 21% (5 months) and 5% (6 months) for biological therapy, respectively. For UC patients, the cumulative probability was 22% (4 months) and 15% (3 months) for immunomodulators and 6% (3 months) and 1% (12 months) for biological therapy, respectively in the western and eastern Europe.

DISCUSSION

In this cohort, immunological therapy was initiated within the first months of disease. Surgery and hospitalization rates did not differ between patients from eastern and western Europe, although more western European patients received biological agents and were comparable to previous population-based inception cohorts.

Risk matrix for prediction of advanced disease in a population-based study of patients with Crohn's Disease (the IBSEN Study)

BACKGROUND

Identifying patients with Crohn's disease with increased risk of subsequent complications is essential for appropriate treatment. Based on exploratory analysis, we developed a prediction model for assessing the probability of developing advanced disease 5 and 10 years after diagnosis.

METHODS

A population-based cohort of 237 patients with Crohn's disease diagnosed from 1990-1994 was followed for 10 years. In the 5-year analysis, advanced disease was defined as having intestinal resection, progression in disease behavior, or need for thiopurines. The analysis was limited to patients with uncomplicated disease at diagnosis who were alive (n = 140), excluding those who were lost during follow-up (n = 8). For the 10-year analysis, advanced disease was defined as having surgery, excluding those who had surgery within the first 30 days (n = 7), those who died (n = 18), or were lost during follow-up (n = 22). Based on the best fitted multiple model, the probabilities of advanced disease were computed for selected baseline levels of the covariates and the results were arranged in a prediction matrix. Except for ASCA, all predictors were measured at diagnosis.

RESULTS

ASCA status, disease location, age, and need for systemic steroids were included in the 5-year prediction matrix. The probabilities of advanced disease during this period varied from 8.6% to 92.0% depending on the combination of predictors. The 10-year matrix combined ASCA status, disease behavior, age, and need for systemic steroids; the probabilities of advanced disease ranged from 12.4% to 96.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our prediction models revealed substantial differences in the probability of developing advanced disease in the short and intermediate course of Crohn's disease, suggesting that a model-based prediction matrix is useful in early disease management.

Comparison between 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance enterography for the assessment of disease activity and complications in ileo-colonic Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can assess disease activity and severity in Crohn's disease (CD). Three-Tesla magnetic resonance (3T) increases signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and reduces time of image acquisition (IAT). Whether 3T increases the accuracy of MRI in CD compared to 1.5T is unknown.

AIM

We aimed to compare prospectively the accuracy of 3 and 1.5T in ileo-colonic CD patients.

METHODS

Twenty-six patients with ileo-colonic CD underwent 1.5 and 3T MR enterography at the same time. Ileocolonoscopy was the reference standard for luminal disease. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRI in evaluating six signs of active and complicated disease (localization, thickening, enhancement, strictures, entero-enteric fistulas, and ulcers) were calculated for both techniques.

RESULTS

Three-Tesla resulted as sensitive, specific, and accurate as 1.5T in detecting disease location (accuracy 0.93 vs. 0.86), bowel wall thickening and enhancement (accuracy 0.92 vs. 0.80 for both parameters), strictures (accuracy 0.90 vs. 0.80) and entero-enteric fistulas (accuracy 0.92 vs. 0.92). 3T was superior to 1.5T in detecting ulcers (0.76 vs. 0.42, P < 0.05). SNR resulted higher in 3T, and IAT resulted shorter than 1.5.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that 3T is equally accurate as 1.5T in evaluating ileo-colonic CD. Because of superiority in detecting mucosal ulcers, 3T should be preferred in patients with ileo-colonic CD.

Surgery and diagnostic imaging in abdominal Crohn's disease

Surgery is well-established option for the treatment of Crohn's disease that is refractory to medical therapy and for complications of the disease, including strictures, fistulas, abscesses, bleeding that cannot be controlled endoscopically, and neoplastic degeneration. For a condition like Crohn's disease, where medical management is the rule, other indications for surgery are considered controversial, because the therapeutic effects of surgery are limited to the resolution of complications and the rate of recurrence is high, especially at sites of the surgical anastomosis. In the authors' opinion, however, surgery should not be considered a last-resort treatment: in a variety of situations, it should be regarded as an appropriate solution for managing this disease. Based on a review of the literature and their own experience, the authors examine some of the possibilities for surgical interventions in Crohn's disease and the roles played in these cases by diagnostic imaging modalities.

Recent advances: Personalised use of current Crohn's disease therapeutic options

Several aspects of the management of Crohn's disease (CD) are shared between patients. The goal of all therapies should be to achieve clinical and endoscopic remission in a timely manner to avoid disease progression and abdominal resections. The way this goal is achieved may differ and predicting how the disease will evolve, what the most appropriate therapy with the highest chance of success will be, how long a therapy needs to be continued, and what the intensity of follow-up should be are more difficult questions and require an individualised approach. Clinical parameters have been suggested to aid in the therapeutic decision process but lack specificity. Although much promise has been put in molecular markers, these have not yet found their way to the clinic. More recently, clinicians have started to gain interest in drug level monitoring to adapt doses of immunomodulators and/or anti-tumour necrosis factor antibodies in an individualised manner. An increasing number of studies show that therapeutic drug monitoring can help physicians to improve and personalise the management of their patients. What is needed now are pharmaco-economic studies showing that personalised management of CD is cost effective.

Strategic use of immunosuppressants and anti-TNF in inflammatory bowel disease

Controlled trials and meta-analyses have shown that immunosuppressants are effective in steroid-dependent Crohn's disease (CD) and, although less well demonstrated, ulcerative colitis (UC). It has also been demonstrated that anti-TNF are effective in steroid-dependent and steroid-refractory CD and UC. Anti-TNF can also decrease hospitalization rate and the need for surgery. This seems also to be the case for immunosuppressants. The early use of anti-TNF seems more effective than later use, and early mucosal healing is associated with decreased rate of surgery. On the contrary, early use of purine analogues does not seem to improve outcome in CD. Anti-TNF therapies have been shown superior to immunosuppressants and combination therapy superior to anti-TNF monotherapy in inducing steroid-free remission and mucosal healing. The main strategic questions which remain at this stage include: When to start immunosuppressants or anti-TNF? Is there still a place for immunosuppressant monotherapy? How to optimize anti-TNF? Is it possible to stop anti-TNF? The main justification of immunosuppressant monotherapy is the low cost of this treatment and the possibility of achieving a very stable and long-standing remission in a subset of patients. According to this and provided there is no rapid need for more effective therapy, this treatment could be tried in any inflammatory bowel disease patient not correctly maintained after a course of steroids and 5-aminosalicylic acid. However, the failure to respond to this treatment should be recognized early and a step up to anti-TNF considered. An anti-TNF treatment should be considered early in patients at risk of rapid evolution towards tissue damage and complications. The benefit/risk of the immunosuppressant + anti-TNF combination therapy should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Anti-TNF treatment should always be fully optimized by adapting dosage and potentially adding an immunosuppressant before considering treatment failure. Treatment de-escalation should only be considered when a long-standing stable remission has been achieved both clinically and biologically. The cost sparing and theoretical decrease in complication risk should be put in perspective with the risk of relapse and disease progression.

Phenotype of inflammatory bowel disease at diagnosis in the Netherlands: a population-based inception cohort study (the Delta Cohort)

BACKGROUND

To describe the clinical characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at diagnosis in The Netherlands at the population level in the era of biologics.

METHODS

All patients with newly diagnosed IBD (diagnosis made between January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2007) followed in 9 general hospitals in the southwest of the Netherlands were included in this population-based inception cohort study.

RESULTS

A total of 413 patients were enrolled, of which 201 Crohn's disease (CD) (48.7%), 188 ulcerative colitis (UC) (45.5%), and 24 IBD unclassified (5.8%), with a median age of 38 years (range, 14-95). Seventy-eight patients with CD (38.8%) had ileocolonic disease and 73 patients (36.3%) had pure colonic disease. In 8 patients (4.0%), the upper gastrointestinal tract was involved. Nineteen patients with CD (9.5%) had perianal disease. Thirty-nine patients with CD (19.4%) had stricturing phenotype. Of the patients with UC and IBDU, 39 (18.4%) suffered from pancolitis and 61 (29%) from proctitis. Severe endoscopic lesions at diagnosis were seen in 119 patients (28.8%, 68 CD, 49 UC, and 2 IBDU), whereas 98 patients (23.7%) had severe histological disease activity. Thirteen patients (3.1%, 10 CD and 3 UC) had extraintestinal manifestations at diagnosis. Twenty-three patients (5.6%, 20 CD and 3 UC) had fistula at diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, 31% of the patients with CD had complicated disease at diagnosis, 39% had ileocolonic disease, 9.5% had perianal disease, and in 4% the upper gastrointestinal tract was involved. Most patients with UC suffered from left-sided colitis (51%). Severe endoscopic lesions were reported in 34% of the patients with CD and 26% of the patients with UC. Three percent of the patients with IBD had extraintestinal manifestations.

Predicting complicated Crohn's disease and surgery: phenotypes, genetics, serology and psychological characteristics of a population-based cohort

BACKGROUND

Predictors of complicated Crohn's disease (CD), defined as stricturing or penetrating behaviour, and surgery have largely been derived from referral centre populations.

AIM

To investigate whether serological markers, susceptibility genes or psychological characteristics are associated with complicated CD or surgery in a population-based cohort.

METHODS

One hundred and eighty-two members of the Manitoba IBD Cohort with CD phenotyped using the Montreal classification underwent genetic and serological analysis at enrolment and after 5 years. One hundred and twenty-seven had paired sera at baseline and 5 years later and their data were used to predict outcomes at a median of 9.3 years. Serological analysis consisted of a seven antibody panel, and DNA was tested for CD-associated NOD2 variants (rs2066845,rs2076756,rs2066847), ATG16L1 (rs3828309, rs2241880) and IL23R (rs11465804). Psychological characteristics were assessed using semi-structured interviews and validated survey measures.

RESULTS

Sixty-five per cent had complicated CD and 42% underwent surgery. Multivariate analysis indicated that only ASCA IgG-positive serology was predictive of stricturing/penetrating behaviour (OR = 3.01; 95% CI: 1.28-7.09; P = 0.01) and ileal CD (OR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.07-4.54, P = 0.03). Complicated CD behaviour was strongly associated with surgery (OR = 5.6; 95% CI: 2.43-12.91; P < 0.0001), whereas in multivariate analysis, only ASCA IgG was associated (OR = 2.66; 95% CI, 1.40-5.06, P = 0.003). ASCA titre results were similar at baseline and follow-up. Psychological characteristics were not significantly associated with disease behaviour, serological profile or genotype.

CONCLUSIONS

ASCA IgG at baseline was significantly associated with stricturing/penetrating disease at 9-10 years from diagnosis. Stricturing/penetrating disease was significantly associated with surgery. In a model including serology, the genotypes assessed did not significantly associate with complicated disease or surgery.

Personalizing therapy for inflammatory bowel diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs; e.g., Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC]) are chronic immunologically mediated diseases characterized by frequent relapses, often requiring hospitalization and surgery. There is substantial heterogeneity in the progressive natural history of disease with cumulative accrual of bowel damage and impairment of functioning. Recent advances in therapeutics have significantly improved our ability to achieve disease remission; yet therapies remain expensive and are associated with significant side effects precluding widespread use in all patients with IBD. Consequently, algorithms for the management of patients with IBD require a personalized approach incorporating an individual's projected likely natural history, the probability of response to a specific therapeutic agent and an informed approach to management of loss of response to current therapies.

Addition of metronidazole to azathioprine for the prevention of postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic recurrence occurs in up to 80% of patients with Crohn's disease 1 year after intestinal resection. Imidazole antibiotics, thiopurines, and particularly their combination have proven efficacy in preventing endoscopic recurrence. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of the addition of metronidazole (for 3 months after the surgical treatment) to azathioprine for the prevention of postsurgical endoscopic recurrence.

METHODS

A pilot study was made of 50 patients with Crohn's disease undergoing intestinal resection with ileocolic anastomosis and treated with 2 to 2.5 mg/kg of azathioprine per day for 1 year. The patients were randomized to receive additional 15 to 20 mg/kg of metronidazole per day or placebo for the first 3 months (n = 25 per arm). Endoscopic assessment was performed 6 and 12 months after the surgical resection. The primary end point was the prevention of endoscopic recurrence as defined by a Rutgeerts score of <2 at 6 months. The initial sample size had an 80% statistical power in detecting an absolute risk reduction of ≥30%.

RESULTS

Endoscopic recurrence occurred in 28% and 44% of the patients at 6 months (P = 0.19) and in 36% and 56% (P = 0.15) at 12 months in the metronidazole and placebo groups, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between the treatment groups regarding severe endoscopic recurrence (Rutgeerts score ≥ 3) at 6 and 12 months. Likewise, there were no differences in the rate of adverse events between the treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of metronidazole to azathioprine did not significantly reduce the risk of endoscopic recurrence beyond azathioprine alone in this study but does not worsen its safety profile.

Anorectal fistula is an early manifestation of Crohn's disease that occurs before bowel lesions advance: a study of 11 cases

The diagnostic significance of single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE) in patients presenting with Crohn's disease (CD)-like anorectal fistula is unknown. We experienced 11 cases undergoing SBE due to CD-like fistulas between December 2007 and April 2013. The mean interval from fistula onset to SBE was 19.2 months with a range of 1.3-44.7. Prior to SBE, all patients underwent anorectal examination under anesthesia (EUA), and 9 patients underwent total colonoscopy with terminal ileal cannulation (TCS-I). One of 7 patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy had CD-like gastritis. EUA revealed CD fissures in 7 patients, 1 of whom had no intestinal lesion. Primary TCS-I identified early lesions, such as aphthes and small ulcers, in 4 patients. Among the other 5 patients without any intestinal lesions with TCS-I, SBE indicated early lesions in 3 patients. One of 2 patients who initially underwent SBE without TCS-I showed multiple aphthes. Of the 11 patients, only 4 patients fulfilled the definitive Japanese diagnostic criteria for CD and 7 remained 'suspected CD' cases. Intrinsic anorectal fistulas as a presenting symptom of CD may be an early predictor of bowel lesions. SBE has the potential to reveal incipient disease because an early ileal lesion is not rare for patients with anorectal fistulas.

Deep remission in inflammatory bowel disease: looking beyond symptoms

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic and disabling conditions. Accumulating evidence indicates that we need to look beyond clinical symptoms as current therapeutic strategies have not modified the course of IBD. Therapeutic goals for IBD have evolved from a mere control of symptoms to mucosal healing (MH). Achieving deep remission (clinical remission, biomarker remission and MH) might be the only way to alter disease course in IBD patients. In Crohn's disease (CD), deep remission has been recently defined as Crohn's Disease Activity Index <150 and complete MH. In ulcerative colitis (UC), there is no proposed definition of deep remission. It could be defined as clinical and endoscopic remission in UC. These definitions remain to be validated in large prospective studies. In the near future, the concept of deep remission might include transmural healing in CD and histologic healing in UC. Advances in drug development have provided highly effective treatments for IBD, making deep remission a realistic goal. Whether IBD patients may benefit by experiencing a 'deep' remission beyond the control of clinical symptoms, which might ultimately impact on important outcomes such as the need for surgery and the development of disability, needs to be evaluated in future disease modification trials.

Crohn's disease complicated by strictures: a systematic review

The occurrence of strictures as a complication of Crohn's disease is a significant clinical problem. No specific antifibrotic therapies are available. This systematic review comprehensively addresses the pathogenesis, epidemiology, prediction, diagnosis and therapy of this disease complication. We also provide specific recommendations for clinical practice and summarise areas that require future investigation.

Incidence and clinical characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease in a developed region of Guangdong Province, China: a prospective population-based study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing in China with urbanization and socioeconomic development. There is however a lack of prospective, population-based epidemiology study on IBD in China. The aim of the study is to define the incidence and clinical characteristics of IBD in a developed region of Guangdong Province in China.

METHODS

A prospective, population-based incidence study was conducted from July 2011 to June 2012 in Zhongshan, Guangdong, China. All newly diagnosed IBD cases in Zhongshan were included.

RESULTS

In total, 48 new cases of IBD (17 Crohn's disease [CD]; 31 ulcerative colitis [UC]) were identified over a 1-year period from July 2011. Age-standardized incidence rates for IBD, UC, and CD were 3.14, 2.05, and 1.09 per 100,000 persons, respectively. The median age of UC was 38, and that of CD was 25. Terminal ileum involvement only (L1), isolated colonic disease (L2), and ileocolonic disease (L3) were reported in 24%, 6%, and 71% of patients with CD, respectively. Twenty-four percent of patients had coexisting upper gastrointestinal disease (L4). Inflammatory (B1), stricturing (B2), and penetrating (B3) behavior were seen in 65%, 24%, and 12% of CD patients, respectively. Fifty-nine percent of CD and 26% of UC patients had extra-intestinal manifestations.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first prospective, population-based IBD epidemiological study in a developed region of China. The incidence of IBD is similar to that in Japan and Hong Kong but lower than that in South Korea and Western countries.

Moving towards disease modification in inflammatory bowel disease therapy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic disabling conditions. Despite the benefits of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α agents in improving quality of life and reducing the need for surgeries, overall only one-third of patients are in clinical remission at 1 year and loss of response is frequent. It seems clear that treatment must go beyond alleviation of symptoms in IBD. It is important that treatment targets in IBD will ensure mucosal healing and deep remission.

RECENT FINDINGS

The induction of deep remission might be the best way to alter the natural course of these diseases by preventing disability and bowel damage. New disability indices and the new Crohn's disease damage score have recently been developed and they can be used to evaluate the long-term effect on patients and as new endpoints in trials. Early intervention with disease-modifying anti-IBD drugs (DMAIDs) should be considered in patients with poor prognostic factors.

SUMMARY

New therapeutic targets in IBD patients who failed anti-TNF-α therapy are urgently required, and tofacitinib, vedolizumab and ustekinumab appear to be the most promising drugs. Herein, we review the new and current trends in IBD therapy, with the final aim of changing disease course and patients' lives by both improving quality of life and avoiding disability.

Prolonged avoidance of repeat surgery with endoscopic balloon dilatation of anastomotic strictures in Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

There is a high rate of stricturing post-operative recurrence in Crohn's disease (CD) particularly at sites of surgical anastomosis, and over 50% of these patients will require a repeat resection. Endoscopic dilatation of anastomotic strictures is an alternative to surgical resection in selected patients. We aimed to evaluate the safety and long term efficacy of endoscopic balloon dilatation of symptomatic anastomotic strictures in CD.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained inflammatory bowel disease database of patients attending a single academic centre (n=1244 patients with CD) who underwent dilatation.

RESULTS

Fifty-five dilatations were performed in 31 patients (mean age 43 ± SD 12, 47% female). Median follow-up period was 46 months (IQR 14-62). Ninety percent of patients had successful initial dilatation and no complications occurred. Six (21%) avoided further dilatations or surgery in the follow-up period. Stricture recurrence was detected in 22 patients; 15 (54%) patients had repeat dilatations and seven (25%) went straight to surgery. Eight (28%) patients were managed with repeat dilatations of the stricture (median dilatations=2 range 2-6) and seven (25%) required surgery despite repeat dilatations. Median time from first dilatation to repeat surgery was 14.5 months (IQR 3-28) and to repeat dilatation was 13.8 months (IQR 4-28). There was no difference in immunomodulator use, biologic use and smoking status between the groups requiring surgery versus dilatation only.

CONCLUSION

Endoscopic balloon dilatation of anastomotic strictures is safe and effective in providing symptomatic relief in CD patients. Forty-five percent of patients had a sustained response to single/serial balloon dilatation with avoidance of further surgical resection for a median interval of 46 months. Post-operative medical therapy and smoking status did not predict requirement for recurrent dilatation or surgery.

First-line therapy in adult Crohn's disease: who should receive anti-TNF agents?

Therapy for Crohn's disease has long been based on a step-up approach, with monoclonal antibodies against TNF as a final option before surgery. Despite the introduction of these monoclonal antibodies, no major changes have occurred in the natural history of Crohn's disease, with half of all patients still requiring intestinal resection at 10 years. Labelling for anti-TNF agents does not take into account prognostic factors. In this Review, we propose that treatment of Crohn's disease be based on the following three disease stages: mild, moderate and severe. In patients with Crohn's disease who have complicated disease or bowel damage, and with poor prognostic factors and/or severe disease, anti-TNF treatment should be considered as first-line therapy. For patients living in areas of high risk of developing tuberculosis, as well as for patients with mild-to-moderate Crohn's disease without poor prognostic factors and with uncomplicated disease, steroids and thiopurine should be the first-line therapy. By treating patients with Crohn's disease in accordance with these disease stages, we might be able to alter disease course and reduce overtreatment. Upcoming disease-modification trials are expected to provide information to guide decision-making, ultimately changing the course of disease and improving patient quality of life.

Proteomic patterns of colonic mucosal tissues delineate Crohn's colitis and ulcerative colitis

PURPOSE

Although Crohn's colitis (CC) and ulcerative colitis (UC) share several clinical features, they have different causes, mechanisms of tissue damage, and treatment options. Therefore, the accurate diagnosis is of paramount importance in terms of medical care. The distinction between CC/UC is made on the basis of clinical, radiologic, endoscopic, and pathologic interpretations but cannot be differentiated in up to 15% of inflammatory bowel disease patients. Correct management of this "indeterminate colitis" depends on the accuracy of future, and yet not known, destination diagnosis (CC/UC).

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We have developed a proteomic methodology that has the potential to discriminate between UC/CC. The histologic layers of 62 confirmed UC/CC tissues were analyzed using MALDI-MS for proteomic profiling.

RESULTS

A Support Vector Machine algorithm consisting of 25 peaks was able to differentiate spectra from CC and UC with 76.9% spectral accuracy when using a leave-20%-out cross-validation. Application of the model to the entire dataset resulted in accurate classification of 19/26 CC patients and 36/36 UC patients when using a 2/3 correct cutoff. A total of 114 peaks were found to have Wilcoxin rank sum p-values of less than 0.05.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This information may provide new avenues for the development of novel personalized therapeutic targets.

Long-term prognosis of the jejunal involvement of Crohn's disease

GOALS

We investigated the prognosis of Crohn's disease (CD) in Korean patients with jejunal involvement.

BACKGROUND

Although jejunal involvement is considered a poor prognostic factor of CD in whites, it has never been validated in Asian populations.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 1403 Korean CD patients (median age at diagnosis, 23 years; male patients, 72.3%; median follow-up duration, 65 mo). Probabilities of medication use, surgery, and hospitalization were analyzed by a Cox proportional hazards model and a Poisson regression model.

RESULTS

Jejunal involvement was observed in 198 of 1403 (14.1%) patients at diagnosis. There were more ileal location (28.3% vs. 20.6%, P<0.001) and stricturing behavior (16.7% vs. 9.4%, P=0.001) in the jejunal group than in the non-jejunal group. In univariate analyses, the cumulative probabilities of treatment with corticosteroids (P=0.014) and thiopurines (P=0.008), the first major surgery (P=0.021), and the first hospitalization (P=0.015) were significantly higher in the jejunal than in the non-jejunal group. In multivariate analyses, jejunal involvement was independently associated with the more common use of corticosteroids [hazard ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.50] and thiopurines (hazard ratio, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.06-1.49), higher incidence rates of strictureplasties [relative risk (RR), 2.52; 95% CI, 1.60-3.96] and hospitalizations (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.14-1.47), and longer hospitalization duration (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.25-1.34).

CONCLUSIONS

Korean CD patients are more likely to have jejunal involvement than western patients. Jejunal involvement is one of the poor prognostic factors in Korean CD patients, as it is in westerners.

Subgroup analysis of the placebo-controlled CHARM trial: increased remission rates through 3 years for adalimumab-treated patients with early Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We examined the impact of disease duration on clinical outcomes and safety in a post hoc analysis of a remission maintenance trial with adalimumab in patients with moderate to severe CD.

METHODS

Patients in the CHARM trial were divided into 3 disease duration categories: <2 (n=93), 2 to <5 (n=148), and ≥5 years (n=536). Clinical remission and response rates at weeks 26 and 56 were compared between adalimumab and placebo subgroups, and assessed through 3 years of adalimumab treatment in the ADHERE follow-on trial. Logistic regression assessed the effect of disease duration and other factors on remission and safety.

RESULTS

At week 56, clinical remission rates were significantly greater for adalimumab-treated versus placebo-treated patients in all 3 duration subgroups (19% versus 43% for <2 years; P=0.024; 13% versus 30% for 2 to <5 years; P=0.028; 8% versus 28% for ≥5 years, P<0.001). Logistic regression identified shorter duration as a significant predictor for higher remission rate in adalimumab-treated patients. Patients with disease duration <2 years maintained higher remission rates than patients with longer disease duration through 3 years of treatment. The incidence of serious adverse events in adalimumab-treated patients was lowest with disease duration <2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Adalimumab was superior to placebo for maintaining clinical remission in patients with moderately to severely active CD after 1 year of treatment regardless of disease duration. Clinical remission rates through 3 years of treatment were highest in the shortest disease duration subgroup in adalimumab-treated patients, with a trend to fewer side effects.

Mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel disease

It is becoming increasingly recognized that purely clinical endpoints may not be sufficient in the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. As such, mucosal disease assessment has become a prominent component of the majority of recent clinical trials in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. There is mounting evidence that the attainment of mucosal healing leads to improved clinical outcomes in both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, the use of mucosal healing as a therapeutic endpoint in inflammatory bowel disease is in its early stages, as a number of issues limit its application to routine clinical practice.

Clinical factors predictive of Crohn's disease complications and surgery

Crohn's disease (CD) is a progressive disease that is subdivided into three phenotypes: inflammatory, stricturing and penetrating. At diagnosis, most CD patients have inflammatory disease. However, the natural history of CD is one of progression over time to structural complications of the gastrointestinal tract (strictures and fistulae) requiring hospitalizations and surgeries. There is now evidence that early treatment with immunosuppressants and biologics can halt the development of inflammatory damage/fibrosis because of their potential to induce complete mucosal healing. This change in the natural course of CD, mediated by mucosal healing, is associated with a reduction in the incidence of serious complications (those requiring hospitalization and surgeries). Nevertheless, the clinical course of CD varies considerably from one patient to another, and the exact point at which immunosuppressants and/or biologics should be used has not yet been established. Given the difficulty in predicting which individuals will progress to complications and the fact that these therapeutic agents are associated with certain risks (lymphomas and opportunistic infections), efforts are underway to identify the risk factors that will facilitate the classification of patients into high-risk and low-risk groups at the time of diagnosis and to tailor therapy accordingly. This paper is a review of the currently available evidence on the clinical risk factors predictive of CD complications and surgery.

Development of the Paris definition of early Crohn's disease for disease-modification trials: results of an international expert opinion process

We report the findings and outputs of an international expert opinion process to develop a definition of early Crohn's disease (CD) that could be used in future disease-modification trials. Nineteen experts on inflammatory bowel diseases held an international expert opinion meeting to discuss and agree on a definition for early CD to be used in disease-modification trials. The process included literature searches for the relevant basic-science and clinical evidence. A published preliminary definition of early CD was used as the basis for development of a proposed definition that was discussed at the expert opinion meeting. The participants then derived a final definition, based on best current knowledge, that it is hoped will be of practical use in disease-modification trials in CD.

Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a relapsing systemic inflammatory disease, mainly affecting the gastrointestinal tract with extraintestinal manifestations and associated immune disorders. Genome wide association studies identified susceptibility loci that--triggered by environmental factors--result in a disturbed innate (ie, disturbed intestinal barrier, Paneth cell dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, defective unfolded protein response and autophagy, impaired recognition of microbes by pattern recognition receptors, such as nucleotide binding domain and Toll like receptors on dendritic cells and macrophages) and adaptive (ie, imbalance of effector and regulatory T cells and cytokines, migration and retention of leukocytes) immune response towards a diminished diversity of commensal microbiota. We discuss the epidemiology, immunobiology, amd natural history of Crohn's disease; describe new treatment goals and risk stratification of patients; and provide an evidence based rational approach to diagnosis (ie, work-up algorithm, new imaging methods [ie, enhanced endoscopy, ultrasound, MRI and CT] and biomarkers), management, evolving therapeutic targets (ie, integrins, chemokine receptors, cell-based and stem-cell-based therapies), prevention, and surveillance.

Clinical predictors at diagnosis of disabling pediatric Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

Identification of children with Crohn's disease (CD) at high risk of disabling disease would be invaluable in guiding initial therapy. Our study aimed to identify predictors at diagnosis of a subsequent disabling course in a population-based cohort of patients with pediatric-onset CD.

METHODS

Among 537 patients with pediatric CD diagnosed at <17 years of age, 309 (57%) with 5-year follow-up were included. Clinical and demographic factors associated with subsequent disabling CD were studied. Three definitions of disabling CD were used: Saint-Antoine and Liège Hospitals' definitions and a new pediatric definition based on the presence at maximal follow-up of: 1) growth delay defined by body mass index (BMI), weight or height lower than -2 SD Z score; and 2) at least one intestinal resection or two anal interventions. Predictors were determined using multivariate analyses and their accuracy using the kappa method considering a relevant value ≥ 0.6.

RESULTS

According to the Saint-Antoine definition, the rate of disabling CD was 77% and predictors were complicated behavior and L1 location. According to the Liège definition, the rate was 37% and predictors included behavior, upper gastrointestinal disease, and extraintestinal manifestations. According to the pediatric definition, the rate of disabling CD was 15%, and predictors included complicated behavior, age <14, and growth delay at diagnosis. Kappa values for each combination of predictors were, respectively, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.2 and were nonrelevant.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical parameters at diagnosis are insufficient to predict a disabling course of pediatric CD. More complex models including serological and genetic biomarkers should be tested.

Inflammatory bowel disease in Asia: a systematic review

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are lower in Asia than in the West. However, across Asia the incidence and prevalence of IBD has increased rapidly over the last two to four decades. These changes may relate to increased contact with the West, westernization of diet, increasing antibiotics use, improved hygiene, vaccinations, or changes in the gut microbiota. Genetic factors also differ between Asians and the Caucasians. In Asia, UC is more prevalent than CD, although CD incidence is rapidly increasing in certain areas. There is a male predominance of CD in Asia, but a trend towards equal sex distribution for UC. IBD is diagnosed at a slightly older age than in the West, and there is rarely a second incidence peak as in the West. A positive family history is much less common than in the West, as are extra-intestinal disease manifestations. There are clear ethnic differences in incidence within countries in Asia, and an increased incidence in IBD in migrants from Asia to the West. Research in Asia, an area of rapidly changing IBD epidemiology, may lead to the discovery of critical etiologic factors that lead to the development of IBD.

Epidemiology of the transition from early to late Crohn's disease

Phenotypically, the transition from early to late Crohn's disease is characterized by the occurrence of complications including strictures, intra-abdominal fistulas and perianal fistulas, all of them leading to various types of surgeries and currently non-reversible tissue damage. It must, however, be kept in mind that this transition is not at all a uniform and linear process. According to these simple phenotypic criteria, Crohn's disease can already be a late disease at diagnosis while in other patients, it can still be an early disease after 20 years of evolution. This simply highlights the relativity of time in this field, actually reflecting the nature, location and severity of the inflammatory process. The risk over time of the development of these complications has been described, first in cohort studies and then in population-based studies. Globally, at diagnosis, between 19 and 38% only of Crohn's disease patients have complicated Crohn's disease. After 10 years, between 56 and 65% of patients have developed either stricturing or penetrating complications. After 20 years, these numbers are between 61 and 88%. In parallel to these structural changes, changes in the immunobiology of the disease also seem to occur; the latter seem to happen quicker with major modification already within 2 years of the diagnosis. Beside these general figures, important questions remain pending. First, the real timing of these changes is still unclear. Second, the precise role of genetics and environment in the development of these changes remains to be clarified. Third, the correlation between changes in immunobiology and intestinal structural damages has not been specifically studied.

Classification of inflammatory bowel disease: the old and the new

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are disorders of multifactorial cause that present as a multitude of phenotypes, clinical behaviours and severity. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are considered as the two extremes of what is believed to be a spectrum of chronic gut inflammation and this separation is still the first classification used when confronted with an IBD patient. An accurate classification within IBD has several benefits, with respect to patient counselling, assessing risk for disease progression, and particularly with respect to choosing the most appropriate therapy for an individual patient. Basic scientists on the other hand prefer classifications that would allow to better understand the pathophysiology of the different manifestations of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

RECENT FINDINGS

Attempts to reclassify IBD based on recent genetic, serologic or immunologic findings have been made. Most, however, have not been translated to daily practice and need confirmation first.

SUMMARY

Clinicians should apply a systematic approach to their patients by using existing phenotypic classifications such as Montreal or Paris. They should further recognize clinical and endoscopic features of bad outcome such as perianal disease, deep ulcers on colonoscopy and extensive small bowel involvement.

Initiating azathioprine for Crohn's disease

Azathioprine (AZA) and 6-mercaptopurine are therapeutic options for patients with moderate to severe inflammatory Crohn's disease. AZA has both a complex metabolism and potential for adverse events that can be clinically challenging. AZA has been shown to maintain remission and reduce corticosteroid use in patients with Crohn's disease. There is heterogeneous thiopurine methyltransferase metabolism among patients, which has implications for clinical dosing and risk for adverse events. Routine thiopurine methyltransferase testing before the initiation of AZA will reduce early leukopenia and is mandatory to avoid potentially life-threatening myelotoxicity. Thiopurine metabolite assays may aid in the assessment of adherence and adverse events. Patients who do not respond to AZA therapy may benefit from the addition of biologic therapy or methotrexate.

Crohn's disease and the mycobacterioses: a quarter century later. Causation or simple association?

It has been more than 25 years since Mycobacterium paratuberculosis was first proposed as an etiologic agent in Crohn's disease based on the isolation of this organism from several patients. Since that time, a great deal of information has been accumulated that clearly establishes an association between M. paratuberculosis and Crohn's disease. However, data are conflicting and difficult to interpret and the field has become divided into committed advocates and confirmed skeptics. This review is an attempt to provide a thorough and objective summary of current knowledge from both basic and clinical research from the views and interpretations of both the antagonists and proponents. The reader is left to draw his or her own conclusions related to the validity of the issues and claims made by the opposing views and data interpretations. Whether M. paratuberculosis is a causative agent in some cases or simply represents an incidental association remains a controversial topic, but current evidence suggests that the notion should not be so readily dismissed. Remaining questions that need to be addressed in defining the role of M. paratuberculosis in Crohn's disease and future implications are discussed.

Abdominal phlegmons in Crohn's disease: outcomes following antitumor necrosis factor therapy

BACKGROUND

An abdominal phlegmon is an inflammatory mass that can develop in the setting of penetrating Crohn's disease (CD). Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibody therapy is typically avoided in CD complicated by phlegmon because of concern for peritoneal infection but may offer an effective alternative to surgical resection after infection has been controlled with antibiotics. The aim of this study was to examine outcomes for patients with CD who developed an abdominal phlegmon that was subsequently treated with an anti-TNF antibody.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the records of all CD patients attending Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center between 2004 and 2010 with an abdominal phlegmon who were treated with an anti-TNF antibody in order to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this treatment regimen.

RESULTS

There were 13 patients with CD complicated by a phlegmon treated with antibiotics and an anti-TNF antibody at our center between 2004 and 2010. Ten were male. Median time (interquartile range) from diagnosis to development of the phlegmon was 5.9 (1.9-22.7) years. The phlegmon was associated with an abscess in 12 patients. In addition to anti-TNF therapy, all patients were treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics. Anti-TNF therapy was effective without complications in all subjects. Two patients eventually had surgery more than a year after initiating anti-TNF treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Penetrating CD complicated by phlegmon formation may be safely and effectively managed with a combination of antibiotics and anti-TNF therapy. Larger, prospective trials are required to confirm these initial findings.

Biomarkers in inflammatory bowel disease: current practices and recent advances

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis represent the two main forms of the idiopathic chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Currently available blood and stool based biomarkers provide reproducible, quantitative tools that can complement clinical assessment to aid clinicians in IBD diagnosis and management. C-reactive protein and fecal based leukocyte markers can help the clinician distinguish IBD from noninflammatory diarrhea and assess disease activity. The ability to differentiate between forms of IBD and predict risk for disease complications is specific to serologic tests including antibodies against Saccharomyces cerevisiae and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic proteins. Advances in genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic array based technologies are facilitating the development of new biomarkers for IBD. The discovery of novel biomarkers, which can correlate with mucosal healing or predict long-term disease course has the potential to significantly improve patient care. This article reviews the uses and limitations of currently available biomarkers and highlights recent advances in IBD biomarker discovery.

Similar outcomes of surgical and medical treatment of intra-abdominal abscesses in patients with Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

It is not clear whether medical therapy, surgery, or both is the best approach for patients with Crohn's disease who develop an intra-abdominal abscess.

METHODS

We evaluated data from patients with Crohn's disease who were diagnosed with a radiologically confirmed abdominal abscess (enhancing fluid collection, ≥ 1 cm) from 1999 to 2006 (n = 95; median age, 42.0 y; 50.5% female). Medical/nonsurgical methods (percutaneous aspiration ± drain placement) were used for 55 patients (mean abscess size, 6.9 ± 3.2 cm), and 40 patients underwent surgical interventions (laparotomy ± bowel resection; mean abscess size, 7.5 ± 3.7 cm). We investigated risk factors for abscess recurrence.

RESULTS

The median length of hospitalization was 15.5 days for patients who underwent surgery and 5.0 days for patients who did not (P < .001). The 5-year cumulative probability of abscess recurrence was 31.2% among patients who did not undergo surgery and 20.3% among those who did (P = .25). Histories of perianal or active ileal disease predicted abscess recurrence. Initiation of pharmacologic therapy after drainage reduced the risk for abscess recurrence (P < .001). Anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy, compared with no therapy, reduced the risk of abscess recurrence (P = .001) in all patients, whereas immunosuppressive monotherapy, compared with no therapy, had a trend toward significant risk reduction (P = .06).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with Crohn's disease who have intra-abdominal abscesses, nonsurgical and primary surgical management strategies result in similar rates of abscess recurrence and complications. Initiation of anti-tumor necrosis factor and/or immunosuppressive therapy when abscesses resolve might protect against intra-abdominal penetrating disease.

Changing Crohn's disease management: need for new goals and indices to prevent disability and improve quality of life

Crohn's disease is a destructive, inflammatory condition. The recent IMPACT survey showed that it has a major impact on quality of life including fatigue, relationships and employment. Although patients are generally satisfied with healthcare services, improvements are needed in the timeliness of diagnosis and in communication between patients and healthcare professionals. Evidence is lacking about what constitutes quality of care and value to patients. Moving forward, value should become the primary goal of healthcare delivery, which is likely to require new treatment goals. Indeed, goals are already evolving beyond symptom control towards deep remission, which encompasses clinical remission together with mucosal healing. The ultimate goals are to prevent bowel damage, reduce long-term disability and maintain normal quality of life. A new treat-to-target approach, with increased monitoring and tighter control of symptoms and inflammation, will be needed. This approach will be enabled by use of biomarkers and new indices such as the Lémann score, which assesses the extent and severity of bowel damage at a specific time-point and over time, and a new disability index for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. These principles have been adopted for managing rheumatoid arthritis where there is now a focus on treat-to-target to achieve early remission. Lessons from rheumatoid arthritis can be translated to Crohn's disease.

Incidence, disease phenotype at diagnosis, and early disease course in inflammatory bowel diseases in Western Hungary, 2002-2006

BACKGROUND

Recent trends indicate a change in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), with previously low incidence areas now reporting a progressive rise in the incidence. Our aim was to analyze the incidence and disease phenotype at diagnosis in IBD in the population-based Veszprem Province database, which included incident patients diagnosed between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2006.

METHODS

Data of 393 incident patients were analyzed (ulcerative colitis [UC]: 220, age-at-diagnosis: 40.5 years; Crohn's disease [CD]: 163, age-at-diagnosis: 32.5 years; and indeterminate colitis [IC]: 10). Both hospital and outpatient records were collected and comprehensively reviewed.

RESULTS

Adjusted mean incidence rates were 8.9/10(5) person-years for CD and 11.9/10(5) person-years in UC. Peak onset age in both CD and UC patients was 21-30 years old. Location at diagnosis in UC was proctitis in 26.8%, left-sided colitis in 50.9%, and pancolitis in 22.3%. The probability of proximal extension and colectomy after 5 years was 12.7% and 2.8%. The disease location in CD was ileal in 20.2%, colonic in 35.6%, ileocolonic in 44.2%, and upper gastrointestinal in four patients. Behavior at diagnosis was stenosing/penetrating in 35.6% and perianal in 11.1%. Patients with colonic disease were older at diagnosis compared to patients with ileal or ileocolonic disease. In a Kaplan-Meier analysis, probability of surgical resection was 9.8%, 18.5%, and 21.3% after 1, 3, and 5 years of disease duration, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of IBD in Veszprem Province in the last decade was high, equal to that in high-incidence areas in Western European countries. Early disease course is milder compared to data reported in the literature.

Gastroenterology review and perspective: the role of cross-sectional imaging in evaluating bowel damage in Crohn disease

OBJECTIVE

This article will review the performance and limitations of cross-sectional imaging methods to detect and display critical features of Crohn disease (CD)-related bowel damage, including stenosis and penetrating complications (i.e., fistula, abscess). International efforts to incorporate cross-sectional imaging findings along with endoscopic and surgical findings to create a global bowel damage score over the length of the gastrointestinal tract are summarized along with the rationale for these efforts.

CONCLUSION

The first digestive damage score, the Lémann score, will incorporate surgical history, endoscopic findings, and imaging findings of stenosis and penetrating complications to provide a global assessment of CD-related destruction of the gastrointestinal tract. It is anticipated that the score will permit better understanding of the impact of modern therapeutics on the natural history of CD. Because CT is a technique that involves ionizing radiation and accuracy of ultrasound is highly related to CD location, MRI is proposed as first choice for nonemergent follow-up of CD patients.

A practical, evidence-based guide to the use of adalimumab in Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents are important therapies for treating Crohn's disease (CD) because they may induce and maintain remission, reduce the need for corticosteroids, decrease hospitalizations and surgeries, and heal the mucosa. Here we provide a practical, evidence-based guide to help clinicians optimize the use of adalimumab in patients with CD.

SCOPE

A literature search in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and BIOSIS databases was performed for articles published between 1996 and 2010 describing adalimumab use in CD. Abstracts presented at the ACG, DDW, UEGW, ECCO, and SGNA congresses, references from review articles and published randomized clinical trials, and the manufacturer's prescribing information also were reviewed.

FINDINGS

When selecting an anti-TNF agent, factors such as efficacy, safety, immunogenicity, patient preference, and the timing and sequencing of therapies should be considered. Important considerations for patient management include dosage selection, use of combination therapy, timing of monitoring treatment response, and evaluation of recurrent CD symptoms in a previously responding patient. We recommend that patients initiating adalimumab receive a loading dose of 160/80 mg subcutaneously at Week 0/Week 2, followed by up to 8 weeks of 40 mg every-other-week maintenance therapy prior to determining if there is non-response. During therapy, recurrent or new symptoms should be fully evaluated to ensure that they are indeed related to underlying inflammation versus other causes (e.g., intercurrent infection, bile acid diarrhea, or irritable bowel). Patients experiencing attenuation of response or inflammatory-mediated symptoms during maintenance therapy may benefit from dosage intensification to weekly adalimumab.

CONCLUSION

Considerations for the use of anti-TNF agents in CD, with an emphasis on adalimumab, are reviewed and practical patient management recommendations are presented.

Development of the Crohn's disease digestive damage score, the Lémann score

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic progressive destructive disease. Currently available instruments measure disease activity at a specific point in time. An instrument to measure cumulative structural damage to the bowel, which may predict long-term disability, is needed. The aim of this article is to outline the methods to develop an instrument that can measure cumulative bowel damage. The project is being conducted by the International Program to develop New Indexes in Crohn's disease (IPNIC) group. This instrument, called the Crohn's Disease Digestive Damage Score (the Lémann score), should take into account damage location, severity, extent, progression, and reversibility, as measured by diagnostic imaging modalities and the history of surgical resection. It should not be "diagnostic modality driven": for each lesion and location, a modality appropriate for the anatomic site (for example: computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging enterography, and colonoscopy) will be used. A total of 24 centers from 15 countries will be involved in a cross-sectional study, which will include up to 240 patients with stratification according to disease location and duration. At least 120 additional patients will be included in the study to validate the score. The Lémann score is expected to be able to portray a patient's disease course on a double-axis graph, with time as the x-axis, bowel damage severity as the y-axis, and the slope of the line connecting data points as a measure of disease progression. This instrument could be used to assess the effect of various medical therapies on the progression of bowel damage.

The utility of biomarkers in the diagnosis and therapy of inflammatory bowel disease

Fecal and serologic biomarkers can be used in the diagnosis and management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Fecal markers such as calprotectin and lactoferrin have been studied for their ability to identify patients with IBD, assess disease activity, and predict relapse. Antibodies against Saccharomyces cerevisiae and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic proteins have been used in diagnosis of IBD, to distinguish Crohn's disease (CD) from ulcerative colitis, and to predict the risk of complications of CD. Tests for C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate have been used to assess inflammatory processes and predict the course of IBD progression. Levels of drug metabolites and antibodies against therapeutic agents might be measured to determine why patients do not respond to therapy and to select alternative treatments. This review addresses the potential for biomarker assays to improve treatment strategies and challenges to their use and development.