Cytomegalovirus load in inflamed intestinal tissue is predictive of resistance to immunosuppressive therapy in ulcerative colitis

Predicting outcomes in acute severe ulcerative colitis

Response to corticosteroid treatment in acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) has changed very little in the past 50 years. Predicting those at risk at an early stage helps stratify patients into those who may require second line therapy or early surgical treatment. Traditionally, risk scores have used a combination of clinical, radiological and biochemical parameters; established indices include the 'Travis' and 'Ho' scores. Recently, inflammatory bowel disease genetic risk alleles have been built into models to predict outcome in ASUC. Given the multifactorial nature of inflammatory bowel disease pathogenesis, in the future, composite scores integrating clinical, biochemical, serological, genetic and other '-omic' data will be increasingly investigated. Although these new genetic prediction models are promising, they have yet to supplant traditional scores, which remain the best practice. In this modern era of rescue therapies in ASUC, robust scoring systems to predict failure of ciclosporine and infliximab must be devised.

Tacrolimus or infliximab for severe ulcerative colitis: short-term and long-term data from a retrospective observational study

Objective

Treatment of severe ulcerative colitis (UC) is challenging. Although the efficacy of tacrolimus (TAC) and infliximab (IFX) have been evaluated in patients with severe UC, the safety and efficacy levels of sequential therapies (TAC→IFX/IFX→TAC) in these patients remain unclear. The aim of this study was to assess short-term and long-term outcomes in patients with severe UC treated with TAC and IFX.

Methods

From October 2001 to February 2014, 29 patients with consecutive severe UC treated with TAC or IFX were retrospectively evaluated. Median follow-up duration was 27 months (range 0.5–118 months). The primary end point was short-term outcomes at 8 weeks after induction of TAC (TAC group, n=22) or IFX (IFX group, n=7). The secondary end point included long-term outcomes and colectomy-free survival. The clinical response was evaluated based on a partial Mayo score.

Results

The clinical remission (CR) rate at 8 weeks in the TAC and IFX groups was 63.6% and 71.4%, respectively. In 13 of the 29 patients (10 in the TAC group, 3 in the IFX group), sequential therapies were used in their clinical courses. In 9 of these 13 patients (6 in the TAC group, 3 in the IFX group), CR was achieved and maintained by sequential therapies. Overall cumulative colectomy-free survival was 79.3% at 118 months.

Conclusions

TAC and IFX had similar effects on remission induction in patients with severely active UC. Sequential therapies could rescue patients with UC who failed initial treatment with TAC or IFX. In clinical practice, sequential therapies might be deliberately performed.

Human cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus infection in inflammatory bowel disease: Need for mucosal viral load measurement

AIM: To evaluate the best diagnostic technique and risk factors of the human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS: A cohort of 40 IBD patients (17 refractory) and 40 controls underwent peripheral blood and endoscopic colonic mucosal sample harvest. Viral infection was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, and correlations with clinical and endoscopic indexes of activity, and risk factors were investigated.

RESULTS: All refractory patients carried detectable levels of HCMV and/or EBV mucosal load as compared to 13/23 (56.5%) non-refractory and 13/40 (32.5%) controls. The median DNA value was significantly higher in refractory (HCMV 286 and EBV 5.440 copies/10⁵ cells) than in non-refractory (HCMV 0 and EBV 6 copies/10⁵ cells; P < 0.05 and < 0.001) IBD patients and controls (HCMV and EBV 0 copies/10⁵ cells; P < 0.001 for both). Refractory patients showed DNA peak values ≥ 10³ copies/10⁵ cells in diseased mucosa in comparison to non-diseased mucosa (P < 0.0121 for HCMV and < 0.0004 for EBV), while non-refractory patients and controls invariably displayed levels below this threshold, thus allowing us to differentiate viral colitis from mucosal infection. Moreover, the mucosal load positively correlated with the values found in the peripheral blood, whilst no correlation with the number of positive cells at immunohistochemistry was found. Steroid use was identified as a significant risk factor for both HCMV (P = 0.018) and EBV (P = 0.002) colitis. Finally, a course of specific antiviral therapy with ganciclovir was successful in all refractory patients with HCMV colitis, whilst refractory patients with EBV colitis did not show any improvement despite steroid tapering and discontinuation of the other medications.

CONCLUSION: Viral colitis appeared to contribute to mucosal lesions in refractory IBD, and its correct diagnosis and management require quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay of mucosal specimens.

Usefulness of the cytomegalovirus antigenemia assay in patients with ulcerative colitis

Background/Aims

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are at high risk for cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation. The usefulness of the CMV antigenemia assay in active UC patients has rarely been studied. We assessed whether the assay detects CMV colitis and predicts clinical outcomes in patients with UC.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients hospitalized for moderate-to-severe UC from 2003 to 2012. Positive CMV antigenemia was defined as ≥1 pp65-positive cell per 2×10⁵ polymorphonuclear neutrophils. CMV colitis was defined as the presence of inclusion bodies and/or positive immunohistochemistry in the colonic mucosa. The primary outcome was steroid refractoriness, defined as the absence of clinical improvement after intravenous high-dose steroid administration.

Results

A total of 43 patients were enrolled. CMV antigenemia was detected in 12 (27.9%) patients. Positive CMV antigenemia was significantly associated with CMV colitis (P =0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of positive CMV antigenemia for diagnosing CMV colitis were 66.7% and 87.1%, respectively. Steroid refractoriness was found in 11 of 12 (91.7%) and 12 of 31 (38.7%) patients with positive and negative CMV antigenemia, respectively (P =0.002). The independent predictors for steroid refractoriness were positive CMV antigenemia (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 7.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-49.19; P =0.030) and a shorter duration from the diagnosis of UC (adjusted OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99; P =0.025).

Conclusions

The CMV antigenemia assay shows low sensitivity but high specificity for detecting CMV colitis and may predict steroid-refractory UC. Early rescue therapy might be considered in UC patients positive for CMV antigenemia.

Relationship Between Cytomegalovirus Infection and Steroid Resistance in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Steroid resistance presents an administration difficulty in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The reason of steroid resistance is still unclear, but cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may be a potential cause in some IBD patients. We carried out a meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between CMV infection and steroid-resistant IBD.

METHODS

The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to June 2014, with no language restrictions, for observational studies. Additional references were obtained from reviewed articles.

RESULTS

Eleven studies involving 867 IBD patients were included in the meta-analysis. Steroid resistance rate was 70.0% in CMV-positive IBD patients, which was significantly higher than that in CMV-negative IBD patients (RR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.72-2.61). There was significant heterogeneity in the included eleven studies (I (2) = 57.6%). When the only one study with a few patients was excluded, sensitivity analysis suggested a similar outcome (RR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.80-2.39, 10 studies). Based on the funnel plot and Egger's test, we considered that there was a probable publication bias.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis suggests that CMV-positive IBD patients have a nearly double risk of steroid resistance compared with CMV-negative IBD patients, indicating that CMV infection is a probable cause of steroid-resistant IBD.

CMV in the gut: a critical review of CMV detection in the immunocompetent host with colitis

As scientific techniques for the detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) improve, we are able to detect small amounts of CMV in the mucosal wall. As clinicians, we are unsure how to interpret the results of this novel test. There is controversy in the literature as to the significance of the detection of CMV in the gut. Whilst the importance of CMV and reactivation of the virus is clear in those patients such as allograft recipients with established immune compromise, the role is less clear in patients with less damaged immune systems. We explore whether the detection of CMV in such cases influences outcome and how it should be optimally managed. We discuss the optimal management of such cases, according to current guidelines, with a review of the literature.

A model for identifying cytomegalovirus in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The presentation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be similar to that of idiopathic IBD. It is a challenge to identify patients at highest risk for CMV. We investigated risk factors and generated a clinical score to identify patients with IBD at highest risk for CMV disease.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective case-control study of 68 patients with IBD (66% with ulcerative colitis, 31% with Crohn's disease, and 3% with unclassified IBD) diagnosed with CMV disease on the basis of tissue analysis from January 2005 through December 2011 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester. The patients were each matched with 3 patients with IBD and suspected CMV disease (controls). An a priori set of the most objective variables was used to create a model to identify those with CMV disease. Scores were assigned to each significant factor from the multivariable analysis. Cutoff values that identified patients with CMV with ≥85% sensitivity and specificity were selected.

RESULTS

Patients with medically refractory IBD (odds ratio [OR], 3.69; P < .001) or endoscopic ulcers (OR, 3.06; P < .001) and those treated with corticosteroids (OR, 2.95; P < .001) or immunomodulators (OR, 1.86; P = .030) but not tumor necrosis factor antagonists (OR, 1.30; P = .376) were more likely to have CMV disease than patients with IBD without these features. In a multivariable model, refractory disease, treatment with immunomodulators, and age older than 30 years were independently associated with CMV disease. Use of tumor necrosis factor antagonists was an insignificant factor even after adjustment.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical features can identify patients with IBD at risk for CMV disease. This model may help clinicians stratify patients on the basis of risk when CMV disease is suspected.

Diagnosis and management of common gastrointestinal tract infectious diseases in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients

Management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, stretches beyond control of flares. Some infections of the gastrointestinal tract are more commonly seen in patients with IBD. Work from the Human Microbiome Project has been instrumental in our understanding of the interplay between the vast gut microbiota and host immune responses. Patients with IBD may be more prone to infectious complications based on their underlying inflammatory disease and variations in their microbiome. Immunosuppressant medications commonly used to treat patients with Crohn's and colitis also play a role in predisposing these patients to acquire these infections. Here, we present a detailed review of the data focusing on the most common infections of the gastrointestinal tract in patients with IBD: Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) and cytomegalovirus (CMV). We will discuss appropriate diagnostic tools and treatment options for these infections. Other less common infections will also be reviewed briefly. Studying the various infections of the gastrointestinal tract in these patients could enhance our understanding of the pathophysiology of IBD.

Detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) by real-time PCR in fecal samples for the non-invasive diagnosis of CMV intestinal disease

BACKGROUND

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the gastrointestinal tract can cause CMV intestinal disease (CMV-ID), a severe complication in immunocompromised patients. Current gold standard for diagnosing CMV-ID requires the analysis of colon biopsies. Testing of fecal samples by CMV PCR might be a non-invasive diagnostic alternative, but data on this method is scarce.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the use of quantitative CMV real-time PCR in fecal samples for diagnosing CMV-ID.

STUDY DESIGN

Fecal samples and lower intestinal tract biopsies from 66 patients were analyzed by quantitative CMV PCR. To evaluate the diagnostic significance of CMV detection by PCR in fecal samples, patients were classified according to the etiology of their intestinal disease (based on results of endoscopy, histopathology and quantitative CMV DNA detection in biopsies) into three groups: "CMV-ID", "non-CMV-ID", and "equivocal".

RESULTS

10/66 fecal samples were tested positive by quantitative CMV PCR, but CMV DNA loads were low (range <1000-11,000copies/ml). CMV detection by PCR in fecal samples was positive in 8/12 patients of the CMV-ID group, resulting in a sensitivity of 67% for diagnosing CMV-ID. With two exceptions, fecal CMV PCR was negative in the non-CMV-ID group (45/47) indicating a good specificity (96%). Moreover, CMV DNA detection in feces was associated with high CMV DNA levels in intestinal biopsies.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative CMV PCR results from fecal samples cannot exclude CMV-ID and thus have to be confirmed by analyzing intestinal biopsies. However, positive fecal PCR results are diagnostically useful and might help to circumvent invasive diagnostic procedures as endoscopy.

Long-term outcome of inflammatory bowel diseases with cytomegalovirus colitis: effect of antiviral treatment

OBJECTIVE

The role of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation in the outcome of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) is unclear. Uncertainties remain on the treatment of CMV infection, especially in patients with a viral load just above the normal value in the blood or with very few positive cells in colonic biopsies. This retrospective cohort study reports the long-term outcome of 38 active IBD patients with CMV infection, 13 of whom received an antiviral treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and eight patients with Crohn's colitis with active colitis and CMV infection, diagnosed by detection of at least one CMV inclusion by histology and immunohistochemistry and/or with the CMV antigen test or the CMV DNA test, were studied. Their clinical history at 6 months and up to 1 year following hospital discharge was reviewed. Clinical remission at hospital discharge and recurrences requiring new treatments or colectomy were considered major outcomes of the study. The features of treated and untreated patients were compared using the Fisher exact test and the Student t-test.

RESULTS

All patients showed rare CMV inclusions, and only three had positive blood CMV PCR. Thirteen patients received antiviral treatment, whereas 25 patients did not. No patient underwent colectomy during the hospitalization. The 12-month cumulative rate of clinical relapse requiring new treatment or colectomy was 23% in patients treated with antivirals and 50% in untreated patients (P=0.165). However, in patients with UC and in those with steroid-dependent/refractory disease, antiviral treatment was associated with a significantly higher clinical remission rate at 12 months (77.8 vs. 45%, P=0.049, and 77.8 vs. 19.4%, P=0.038, respectively).

CONCLUSION

In IBD patients with active CMV colitis, antiviral treatment seems to have a marginal impact in the short term, during the treatment of the acute phase, but it may have some beneficial effect in maintaining remission up to 1 year of follow-up in patients with UC and steroid-dependent/refractory disease.

Clinical utility of cytomegalovirus antigenemia assay and blood cytomegalovirus DNA PCR for cytomegaloviral colitis patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Clinical usefulness of cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigenemia assay and blood CMV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) needs to be evaluated.

METHODS

Medical records of moderate to severe UC patients between January 2001 and December 2012 were reviewed retrospectively. Diagnostic performances of CMV antigenemia assay and blood PCR to predict CMV colitis, and clinical outcome according to the results were analyzed. CMV colitis was diagnosed by H&E staining and/or CMV immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Of the 229 study subjects, 83 patients (36.2%) had CMV colitis. The sensitivity and specificity of CMV antigenemia assay were 47.0% and 81.7%, and those of blood CMV DNA PCR were 44.3% and 87.9%, respectively. If either CMV antigenemia or PCR was positive in the presence of significant ulcers, the sensitivity and specificity of having CMV colitis were 67.3% and 75.7%, respectively, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of 0.717. Among patients with significant ulcers, positive CMV antigenemia (33/50 [66.0%] vs. 31/102 [30.4%]; p<0.001) and positive blood CMV PCR (25/37 [67.6%] vs. 24/86 [27.9%]; p<0.001) showed significantly higher probability of CMV colitis than blood test-negative patients. UC-CMV colitis patients with positive CMV antigenemia showed significantly higher rate of colectomy than those with negative antigenemia (13/39 [33.3%] vs. 5/44 [11.4%]; p=0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

Although CMV antigenemia and blood CMV PCR showed low sensitivity for diagnosing CMV colitis, the specificity values were high. Among UC-CMV colitis patients, CMV antigenemia showed significant association with subsequent colectomy.

Cytomegalovirus infection and postoperative complications in patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing colectomy

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) can be complicated by reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV reactivation may change the course of UC and may require antiviral treatment. Some risk factors of CMV reactivation have previously been identified, whereas the association between CMV reactivation and postoperative complications has not been examined systematically.

METHODS

Patients with UC operated with colectomy due to active UC were studied (n = 77). Patient and disease characteristics, as well as postoperative complications were recorded and CMV was detected by immunohistochemical examination of multiple sections from the colectomy specimen.

RESULTS

CMV was found in nine (11.7%) colectomy specimens. CMV-positive patients received significantly higher doses of corticosteroids at colectomy than CMV-negative patients (61.1 ± 23 vs 32.5 ± 32 mg/day, p = 0.01). CMV-positive patients were also older, had a higher risk of severe complications, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, longer preoperative stay, and a higher rate of acute surgery. Complications occurred in 30 (39%) patients after surgery, 8(10.4%) of whom were serious. Two CMV-positive patients (2.6%) died in-hospital after the colectomy. High ASA score was associated with the occurrence of serious complications.

CONCLUSION

A relatively small proportion of patients with UC operated by colectomy were CMV positive. CMV positivity was associated with old age, high dose of corticosteroids at operation, high ASA score, acute surgery, and severe postoperative complications. Patients with such characteristics may be at risk of CMV infection and may require special management.

Clinical significance of isolated cytomegalovirus-infected gastrointestinal cells

BACKGROUND

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is associated with high mortality in immunosuppressed patients. However, few studies have correlated blood CMV load with GI histopathological findings. Furthermore, there have been few studies determining the clinical significance of isolated CMV infection.

DESIGN

Cases were selected for the diagnosis of GI CMV infection by searching the information system of a tertiary hospital. The electronic medical record was reviewed for each case to determine blood viral load, clinicopathological features at the time of diagnosis and clinical outcomes after discharge.

RESULTS

In all, 30 patients with CMV-positive intestinal biopsies confirmed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) were identified. All were immunosuppressed. CMV inclusions were also recognized by hematoxylin and eosin stain in 27% of the cases, and the remaining cases were identified by IHC alone. CMV blood load was only positive in 17% of the cases; 8 cases had only isolated CMV-infected cells (0.1-0.5 IHC count/high-power field), with the following outcomes: worsening symptoms that responded to antiviral therapy (n = 5); clinical improvement without treatment (n = 1); death without treatment (n = 2).

CONCLUSIONS

CMV infection of the intestines is clinically significant but will not always present with classic viral cytopathic changes. IHC should be considered in any case where there is a clinical suspicion for CMV infection. Identification of isolated CMV infection by IHC should be considered clinically significant. Current blood viral load tests have poor sensitivity in detecting CMV intestinal infection. Future studies will investigate the predictive value of positive peripheral blood viral load in patients with intestinal symptoms.

The histopathological approach to inflammatory bowel disease: a practice guide

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are lifelong disorders predominantly present in developed countries. In their pathogenesis, an interaction between genetic and environmental factors is involved. This practice guide, prepared on behalf of the European Society of Pathology and the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation, intends to provide a thorough basis for the histological evaluation of resection specimens and biopsy samples from patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Histopathologically, these diseases are characterised by the extent and the distribution of mucosal architectural abnormality, the cellularity of the lamina propria and the cell types present, but these features frequently overlap. If a definitive diagnosis is not possible, the term indeterminate colitis is used for resection specimens and the term inflammatory bowel disease unclassified for biopsies. Activity of disease is reflected by neutrophil granulocyte infiltration and epithelial damage. The evolution of the histological features that are useful for diagnosis is time- and disease-activity dependent: early disease and long-standing disease show different microscopic aspects. Likewise, the histopathology of childhood-onset IBD is distinctly different from adult-onset IBD. In the differential diagnosis of severe colitis refractory to immunosuppressive therapy, reactivation of latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection should be considered and CMV should be tested for in all patients. Finally, patients with longstanding IBD have an increased risk for the development of adenocarcinoma. Dysplasia is the universally used marker of an increased cancer risk, but inter-observer agreement is poor for the categories low-grade dysplasia and indefinite for dysplasia. A diagnosis of dysplasia should not be made by a single pathologist but needs to be confirmed by a pathologist with expertise in gastrointestinal pathology.

Comparison of automated nucleic acid extraction methods for the detection of cytomegalovirus DNA in fluids and tissues

Testing for cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA is increasingly being used for specimen types other than plasma or whole blood. However, few studies have investigated the performance of different nucleic acid extraction protocols in such specimens. In this study, CMV extraction using the Cell-free 1000 and Pathogen Complex 400 protocols on the QIAsymphony Sample Processing (SP) system were compared using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL), tissue samples, and urine. The QIAsymphonyAssay Set-up (AS) system was used to assemble reactions using artus CMV PCR reagents and amplification was carried out on the Rotor-Gene Q. Samples from 93 patients previously tested for CMV DNA and negative samples spiked with CMV AD-169 were used to evaluate assay performance. The Pathogen Complex 400 protocol yielded the following results: BAL, sensitivity 100% (33/33), specificity 87% (20/23); tissue, sensitivity 100% (25/25), specificity 100% (20/20); urine, sensitivity 100% (21/21), specificity 100% (20/20). Cell-free 1000 extraction gave comparable results for BAL and tissue, however, for urine, the sensitivity was 86% (18/21) and specimen quantitation was inaccurate. Comparative studies of different extraction protocols and DNA detection methods in body fluids and tissues are needed, as assays optimized for blood or plasma will not necessarily perform well on other specimen types.

Antiviral therapy in cytomegalovirus-positive ulcerative colitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM: To evaluate the impact of antiviral treatment on cytomegalovirus (CMV)-positive ulcerative colitis patients.

METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis (MA) of comparative cohort and case-control studies published between January 1966 and March 2013. Studies focusing on colectomy series and studies including only less than 3 patients in the treated or non-treated arm were excluded. The primary outcome was colectomy within 30 d of diagnosis. Secondary outcomes included colectomy during the follow-up period Subgroup analyses by method of detection of CMV, study design, risk of bias and country of origin were performed. Quality of studies was evaluated according to modified New-Castle Ottawa Scale.

RESULTS: After full-text review, nine studies with a total of 176 patients were included in our MA. All the included studies were of low to moderate quality. Patients who have received antiviral treatment had a higher risk of 30-d colectomy (OR = 2.40; 95%CI: 1.05-5.50; I² = 37.2%). A subgroup analysis including only patients in whom CMV diagnosis was based did not demonstrate a significant difference between the groups (OR = 3.41; 95%CI: 0.39-29.83; I² = 56.9%). Analysis of long-term colectomy rates was possible for 6 studies including 110 patients. No statistically significant difference was found between the treated and untreated groups (OR = 1.71; 95%CI: 0.71-4.13; 6 studies, I² = 0%). Analysis of mortality rate was not possible due to a very limited number of cases. Stratification of the outcomes by disease severity was not possible.

CONCLUSION: No positive association between antiviral treatment and a favorable outcome was demonstrated. These findings should be interpreted cautiously due to primary studies’ quality and potential biases.

Diagnosis and treatment of ulcerative colitis with cytomegalovirus infection: importance of controlling mucosal inflammation to prevent cytomegalovirus reactivation

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a member of the herpesvirus family. HCMV infection persists throughout the host lifespan in a latent state following primary infection. The ability of HCMV to escape control by the host immune system and its resulting reactivation suggests the importance of ongoing immune surveillance in the prevention of HCMV reactivation. HCMV is a common cause of opportunistic infection that causes severe and fatal disease in immune-compromised individuals. In inflammatory bowel disease patients, particularly those with ulcerative colitis (UC), HCMV is often reactivated because these patients are frequently treated with immunosuppressive agents. This reactivation exacerbates colitis. Additionally, HCMV infection can induce severe colitis, even in patients with UC who have never been treated with immunosuppressive agents. However, the role of HCMV in colonic inflammation in patients with UC remains unclear. Here, we present previous and current clinical data on the diagnosis and treatment of HCMV infection in UC. Additionally, our experimental data from a newly established mouse model mimicking UC with concomitant CMV infection clearly demonstrate that inflammation could result in the exacerbation of UC disease activity with induction of HCMV reactivation. In summary, optimal control of colonic inflammation should be achieved in UC patients who are refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapies and are positive for HCMV.

Long-term follow-up of ulcerative colitis patients treated on the basis of their cytomegalovirus antigen status

AIM: To clarify the impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) activation and antiviral therapy based on CMV antigen status on the long-term clinical course of ulcerative colitis (UC) patients.

METHODS: UC patients with flare-up were divided into CMV-positive and -negative groups according to the CMV antigenemia assay. The main treatment strategy provided for the patients in the CMV-positive group comprised a dose reduction of corticosteroids and administration of ganciclovir.

RESULTS: The median number of days to initial remission was significantly greater for the patients in the CMV-positive group (21 d vs 16 d, P = 0.009). However, the relapse rate after remission and colectomy rate during more than 30 mo of observation did not differ between the two groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that administration of ganciclovir was the only independent factor for avoiding colectomy in patients of the CMV-positive group.

CONCLUSION: CMV antigen status did not significantly affect the long-term prognosis in UC patients under treatment with appropriate antiviral therapy.

Quantification of cytomegalovirus viral load

Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a member of the Herpesviridae family, is worldwide distributed. After the primary infection, CMV induces a latent infection with possible reactivation(s). It is responsible for severe to life-threatening diseases in immunocompromised patients and in foetuses and newborns of infected mothers. For monitoring CMV load, classical techniques based on rapid culture or pp65 antigenemia are progressively replaced by quantitative nuclear acid tests (QNAT), easier to implement and standardize. A large variety of QNAT are available from laboratory-developed assays to fully-automated commercial tests. The indications of CMV quantification include CMV infection during pregnancy and in newborns, and viral surveillance of grafted and non-grafted immunocompromised patients, patients with bowel inflammatory diseases and those hospitalised in intensive care unit. A close cooperation between virologists and clinicians is essential for optimizing the benefit of CMV DNA monitoring.

Severe disease activity and cytomegalovirus colitis are predictive of a nonresponse to infliximab in patients with ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The role of infliximab in the treatment of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in Asia is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of infliximab therapy in Korean UC patients, including efficacy and predictors of response.

METHODS

Patients who received infliximab induction therapy for moderate to severe UC at Asan Medical Center were retrospectively analyzed. The demographic characteristics of these patients and their clinical outcomes following infliximab therapy were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 89 UC patients receiving infliximab induction therapy, 53 (59.6%) were steroid-refractory and 36 (40.4%) were steroid-dependent. At the initiation of infliximab, the median Mayo score was 9 (range 7-12). After the induction therapy of infliximab, 59 patients (66.3%) demonstrated a clinical response at week 8, of which 29 (32.6%) were determined to be in clinical remission. A colectomy was performed within 1 year after infliximab initiation in 11 (36.7%) of 30 patients who displayed no clinical response to infliximab therapy, but in none of the 59 patients who showed a response to this drug (p<0.001). Multivariate regression analysis identified severe disease (Mayo score≥11) at the initiation of infliximab (p=0.007) and history of cytomegalovirus colitis within 3 months prior to infliximab treatment (p=0.001) as independent positive predictors of nonresponse to infliximab.

CONCLUSIONS

The efficacy of infliximab in Korean UC patients seems to be similar to that of previously published Western reports. Severe disease and a history of cytomegalovirus colitis are predictors of a nonresponse to infliximab.

European consensus on the histopathology of inflammatory bowel disease

The histologic examination of endoscopic biopsies or resection specimens remains a key step in the work-up of affected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and can be used for diagnosis and differential diagnosis, particularly in the differentiation of UC from CD and other non-IBD related colitides. The introduction of new treatment strategies in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) interfering with the patients' immune system may result in mucosal healing, making the pathologists aware of the impact of treatment upon diagnostic features. The European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) jointly elaborated a consensus to establish standards for histopathology diagnosis in IBD. The consensus endeavors to address: (i) procedures required for a proper diagnosis, (ii) features which can be used for the analysis of endoscopic biopsies, (iii) features which can be used for the analysis of surgical samples, (iv) criteria for diagnosis and differential diagnosis, and (v) special situations including those inherent to therapy. Questions that were addressed include: how many features should be present for a firm diagnosis? What is the role of histology in patient management, including search for dysplasia? Which features if any, can be used for assessment of disease activity? The statements and general recommendations of this consensus are based on the highest level of evidence available, but significant gaps remain in certain areas.

Effect of intensive granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis in patients with ulcerative colitis positive for cytomegalovirus

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) exacerbates ulcerative colitis (UC) refractory to immunosuppressive therapies. The conditions under which CMV reactivation occurs in patients with UC, however, is unclear. In addition, the diagnostic and treatment strategies for UC positive for CMV have not been established. Granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMAA) is natural biological therapy for UC in which the granulocytes/macrophages producing inflammatory cytokines are removed. We investigated the rate of colonic CMV reactivation and the efficacy of GMAA in active UC patients positive for CMV without concomitant corticosteroid (CS) therapy.

METHODS

Fifty-one active UC patients without concomitant CS therapy were enrolled. Colonic CMV reactivation was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using biopsy specimen and/or histological examination. All patients were treated with intensive GMAA (twice per week). Rates of clinical remission and mucosal healing were compared between UC patients positive and negative for CMV.

RESULTS

Of 51 patients, 15 (29.4%) were diagnosed as CMV positive. The clinical remission rates following intensive GMAA did not differ between UC patients positive and negative for CMV (73.3% vs 69.4%, p=0.781). Proportion of patients achieving mucosal healing was also similar between these two groups. CMV-DNA became negative in all UC patients positive for CMV who achieved clinical remission 1 week after completion of intensive GMAA.

CONCLUSIONS

Intestinal inflammation might trigger CMV reactivation in a subpopulation of active UC patients without CS treatment. GMAA could be a promising option for active UC positive for CMV.

Cytomegalovirus infection of the ileoanal pouch: clinical characteristics and outcomes

BACKGROUND

Up to 30% of cases of pouchitis are felt to have a secondary cause. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) may represent a possible etiopathological agent. Here, we report our experience with CMV involvement of the pouch, including risk factors, clinical features, and pouch outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease after proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

METHODS

The pathology database at Mayo Clinic in Rochester was searched between January 1995 and October 2012 for patients with a tissue diagnosis of CMV of the pouch following ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

RESULTS

Seven patients with CMV inclusions of the pouch were identified. The median age was 35 (range, 10-53) years, and the majority were female (71%). Five patients (71%) were on immunosuppressive medications including 4 who had undergone orthotopic liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis. The clinical presentation was similar among all patients: the majority had diarrhea (86%), fever (71%), and abdominal pain (57%). All had mucosal inflammation, with 71% having focal ulcerations in the pouch and 60% having inflammatory changes in the prepouch ileum. All patients improved with ganciclovir. None required pouch excision or had recurrent CMV infection. Three patients had recurrent nonspecific pouchitis.

CONCLUSIONS

A high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose CMV of the pouch. An increase in stool frequency and fever in patients on immune suppression or in those who have failed empiric antibiotics should prompt assessment for CMV infection. Antiviral therapy seems to be effective, and postinfection pouch outcomes seem favorable, particularly in those presenting with their first episode of pouchitis.

Looking for endoscopic features of cytomegalovirus colitis: a study of 187 patients with active ulcerative colitis, positive and negative for cytomegalovirus

BACKGROUND

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is frequently detected in ulcerative colitis (UC) lesions of steroid-refractory patients. This has led to the suspicion that CMV might cause colitis and steroid refractoriness.

METHODS

During 2003 and 2011, 187 consecutive patients were divided into group I (n = 105), corticosteroid-free and thiopurine-free in the past 6 months, and group II (n = 82), all corticosteroid refractory. The combination of serum CMV immunoglobulin (Ig)M, CMV IgG, CMV antigenemia (Ag), and real-time polymerase chain reaction assays were performed to identify CMV(+) patients.

RESULTS

In group I, 79 patients were CMV IgG(+) and 26 patients were CMV IgG(-) and CMV IgM(-). In group II, 61 patients were CMV IgG(+), 1 CMV IgM(+), and 20 CMV IgG(-) and CMV IgM(-). All CMV IgG(+) patients were screened for CMV Ag. In group I, 6 of the 79 CMV IgG(+) patients were CMV Ag(+). In group II, 27 patients were CMV Ag(+). Colonoscopy was performed in all patients before screening for CMV. Similar colonoscopic features including punched out ulcers, geographic ulcers, and irregular ulcers were found in both CMV(+) and CMV(-) patients, without any striking difference between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

CMV reactivation might be encouraged by immunosuppressive drugs, like corticosteroids, immunomodulators, and therefore, patients with UC are at a high risk of CMV reactivation, potentially exacerbating UC. However, this study of 187 patients, CMV(+) and CMV(-), could not find colonoscopic features unique to CMV, except that CMV might be one factor for steroid refractoriness, and UC exacerbation.

Cytomegalovirus: a probable cause of steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis

Cytomegalovirus, regarded as a trigger of several autoimmune diseases, is an opportunistic pathogen. Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) undergoing steroid treatment are susceptible to this infection. In the presence of cytomegalovirus, inflammation becomes more complex. Patients with active UC who are infected with cytomegalovirus are usually non-responders to steroid, while antiviral drugs could induce remission. Cytomegalovirus should be suggested as a probable cause of steroid-refractory UC based on the clinical data in the literatures.

Correlation between coinfection with parasites, cytomegalovirus, and Clostridium difficile and disease severity in patients with ulcerative colitis

A cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine whether there was any association between intestinal infection (with parasites, cytomegalovirus, or Clostridium difficile) and clinical disease severity in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Consecutive cases of UC were enrolled after history and clinical examination, evaluated for presence of stool parasites (routine/special stains) and C. difficile toxins A and B (CDT) in stools. Segmental biopsies at colonoscopy were assessed for cytopathic changes of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Statistical analysis was done to look for associations between the presence of infection and disease severity as assessed by the Truelove-Witts criteria. Eighty-seven patients (males = 51) of mean (SD) age 40.2 (12) years were enrolled. Thirty-nine patients (44.8 %) had severe disease, 11 (12.6 %) had moderate, and 37 (42.6 %) had mild disease. Ten (11.5 %) patients had parasites detected in stool, two (2.3%) had histological evidence of CMV, and three (3.4 %) were positive for CDT. The presence of pathogens was very significantly associated with moderate/severe UC. Thirteen of 15 cases (86 %) with detectable pathogens had moderate or severe UC compared to 37 of 72 cases (51 %) without detectable pathogens (p = 0.0194). The relative risk of a UC patient with stool pathogens having severe disease was 1.686 (95 % CI 1.250 to 2.276) compared to one without stool pathogens. The presence of stool pathogens was associated with disease severity in UC.

Cytomegalovirus positive ulcerative colitis: A single center experience and literature review

AIM: To compare the clinical outcome of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-positive ulcerative colitis (UC) patients with and without antiviral therapy.

METHODS: This was a retrospective case-controlled study. The database of UC patients in our institution was scanned for documented presence of CMV on colonic biopsies. Demographics, clinical data, endoscopy findings and pathology reports were extracted from the patients’ charts and electronic records. When available, the data from colonoscopies preceding and following the diagnosis of colonic CMV infection were also extracted. The primary outcomes of the study were colectomy/death during hospitalization and the secondary outcomes were colectomy/death through the course of the follow-up.

RESULTS: Thirteen patients were included in the study, 7 (53.5%) of them were treated with gancyclovir and 6 (46.5%) were not. Patients treated with antivirals presented with a more severe disease and 57% of them were treated with cyclosporine or infliximab before initiation of gancyclovir, while none of the patients without antivirals required rescue therapy. One patient died and another patient underwent urgent colectomy during hospitalization, both of them from the gancyclovir-treatment group. For the entire follow-up time (13 ± 13 mo), a total of 3 colectomies and one death occurred, all among the antiviral-treated patients (for colectomy: 3/7 vs 0/6 patients, P = 0.19; for combined adverse outcome: 4/7 vs 0/6 patients, P = 0.07). In 9/13 patients, immunohistochemistry for CMV was performed on biopsies obtained during a subsequent colonoscopy and was positive in one patient only.

CONCLUSION: Gancyclovir-treated patients had a more severe disease and outcome, probably unrelated to antiviral therapy. Immunohistochemistry-CMV-positive patients with mild disease may recover without antiviral therapy.

Clinical significance of cytomegalovirus infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common in humans. The virus then enters a “latency phase” and can reactivate to different stimuli such as immunosuppression. The clinical significance of CMV infection in inflammatory bowel disease is different in Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). CMV does not interfere in the clinical course of CD. However, CMV reactivation is frequent in severe or steroid-resistant UC. It is not known whether the virus exacerbates the disease or simply appears as a bystander of a severe disease. Different methods are used to diagnose CMV colitis. Diagnosis is classically based on histopathological identification of viral-infected cells or CMV antigens in biopsied tissues using haematoxylin-eosin or immunohistochemistry, other tests on blood or tissue samples are currently being investigated. Polymerase chain reaction performed in colonic mucosa has a high sensitivity and a positive result could be associated with a worse prognosis disease; further studies are needed to determine the most appropriate strategy with positive CMV-DNA in colonic mucosa. Specific endoscopic features have not been described in active UC and CMV infection. CMV colitis is usually treated with ganciclovir for several weeks, there are different opinions about whether or not to stop immunosuppressive therapy. Other antiviral drugs may be used. Multicenter controlled studies would needed to determine which subgroup of UC patients would benefit from early antiviral treatment.

Indian Society of Gastroenterology consensus on ulcerative colitis

In 2010, the Indian Society of Gastroenterology's Task Force on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases undertook an exercise to produce consensus statements on ulcerative colitis. This consensus, produced through a modified Delphi process, reflects our current understanding of the definition, diagnostic work up, treatment and complications of ulcerative colitis. The consensus statements are intended to serve as a reference point for teaching, clinical practice, and research in India.

Cytomegalovirus infection and the gastrointestinal tract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common worldwide, but the majority are asymptomatic. However, during initial infection or reactivation, CMV can cause tissue-invasive end-organ damage including in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Gastrointestinal CMV disease can present with myriad of symptoms and be highly variable endoscopically. In this article we review the manifestations of CMV infection within the luminal gastrointestinal tract and discuss the options for diagnosis and management.

Fc gamma receptor CD64 modulates the inhibitory activity of infliximab

Background

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is an important cytokine in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Anti-TNF antibodies have been successfully implemented in IBD therapy, however their efficacies differ among IBD patients. Here we investigate the influence of CD64 Fc receptor on the inhibitory activity of anti-TNFs in cells of intestinal wall.

Methods

Intestinal cell lines, monocytes/macrophages and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used as models. The efficacies of adalimumab, infliximab and certolizumab-pegol were assessed by RT-PCR for target genes. Protein levels and localizations were examined by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Antibody fragments were obtained by proteolytic digestion, immunoprecipitation and protein chip analysis. Knock-down of specific gene expression was performed using siRNAs.

Results

Infliximab had limited efficacy towards soluble TNF in cell types expressing Fc gamma receptor CD64. Both adalimumab and infliximab had lower efficacies in PBMCs of IBD patients, which express elevated levels of CD64. Infliximab-TNF complexes were more potent in activating CD64 in THP-1 cells than adalimumab, which was accompanied by distinct phospho-tyrosine signals. Blocking Fc parts and isolation of Fab fragments of infliximab improved its efficacy. IFN-γ-induced expression of CD64 correlated with a loss of efficacy of infliximab, whereas reduction of CD64 expression by either siRNA or PMA treatment improved inhibitory activity of this drug. Colonic mRNA expression levels of CD64 and other Fc gamma receptors were significantly increased in the inflamed tissues of infliximab non-responders.

Conclusions

CD64 modulates the efficacy of infliximab both in vitro and ex vivo, whereas the presence of this receptor has no impact on the inhibitory activity of certolizumab-pegol, which lacks Fc fragment. These data could be helpful in both predicting and evaluating the outcome of anti-TNF therapy in IBD patients with elevated systemic and local levels of Fc receptors.

Management of cytomegalovirus infection in inflammatory bowel diseases

Cytomegalovirus is a deoxyribonucleic acid virus that infects a large part of the human population; after primary infection, it develops a latent state and can be reactivated, notably after a decrease in host immune defences. In patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, cytomegalovirus is frequently involved, either as an agent of colitis or through local asymptomatic reactivation. Due to the immune context of inflammatory bowel diseases and to the immunosuppressive therapies that are used to treat them, cytomegalovirus entertains complex relationships with these diseases. Whereas Crohn's disease seems little impacted by cytomegalovirus, this agent interferes strongly with the natural progression of ulcerative colitis. While immune treatments have a clear influence on the occurrence of cytomegalovirus colitis in ulcerative colitis (favourable for steroids and cyclosporine and rather inhibitory for infliximab), the role of cytomegalovirus infection on ulcerative colitis is more debated with roles ranging from innocent bystander to key pathogen suggested. There is however growing evidence for a participation of intestinal cytomegalovirus infection in the resistance of ulcerative colitis to steroids and the investigation of cytomegalovirus infection in intestinal biopsies by immunohistochemistry or quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay is strongly recommended. In several studies, treatment of cytomegalovirus infection by ganciclovir was shown to restore the response to immunomodulatory therapies and even to prevent the need for colectomy. All of these recently acquired data need to be validated by randomised clinical trials conducted on a large panel of ulcerative colitis patients.