Eficacia y seguridad de tacrolimus oral para el tratamiento de la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal pediátrica

Topical tacrolimus 0.1% ointment for treatment of cutaneous Crohn's Disease

Background

Cutaneous Crohn’s Disease is a notoriously difficult condition to treat and causes significant morbidity, impacting heavily on quality of life. This is the first study in adults examining the effect of topical tacrolimus on the different cutaneous manifestations of Crohn’s Disease.

Methods

This open label observational study of 20 patients with heterogeneous forms of cutaneous Crohn’s disease used topical tacrolimus 0.1% ointment once daily to affected areas for 12 weeks with a maximal total dose of 90g. Therapy was stopped at 12 weeks to assess whether the condition relapsed. Thereafter relapsing patients optionally continued an open label extension of topical tacrolimus therapy and were observed for a total of 12 months.

Results

Of seventeen patients completing the twelve-week study, fifteen improved using a specifically designed physicians’ global severity scale. One patient cleared, four showed a pronounced improvement (51-75%) and ten demonstrated a mild (1-25%) or moderate improvement (25-50%) in twelve weeks. Over twelve months eleven patients remained in the study, nine of which improved, one cleared and one showed no change. Perineal disease responded better with two out of twelve clearing, four showing pronounced benefit and four mild to moderate improvement. Long-term application of 0.1% tacrolimus applied to broken skin and mucosa was safe and serum levels of tacrolimus were undetectable in all subjects throughout the study.

Conclusion

0.1% tacrolimus ointment was safe and effective in treating cutaneous manifestations of Crohn’s disease, particularly perineal disease and pyoderma gangrenosum, yet it seldom cleared the condition.

Clinical trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Registration System ID: 33000332

Acute severe ulcerative colitis in children: a systematic review

Pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) has a more severe phenotype, reflected by more extensive disease and a higher rate of acute severe exacerbations. The pooled steroid-failure rate among 291 children from five studies is 34% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 27%-41%). It is suggested that corticosteroids should be dosed between 1-1.5 mg/kg up to 40-60 mg daily. Food restriction has a limited role in severe UC and should be generally discouraged in children who do not have a surgical abdomen. Appraisal of radiologic findings in children must recognize the variation in colonic width with age and size. Data suggest that the Pediatric UC Activity Index (PUCAI), determined at day 3, should be used to screen for patients likely to fail corticosteroids (>45 points), and at day 5 to dictate the introduction of second-line therapy (>65-70 points). Cyclosporine is successful in children with severe colitis but its use should be restricted to 3-4 months while bridging to thiopurine treatment (pooled short-term success rate 81% [95% CI: 76%-86%]; n = 94 from eight studies). Infliximab may be as effective as cyclosporine (75% pooled short-term response (95% CI: 67%-83%); n = 126, six studies) with a pooled 1-year response of 64% (95% CI: 56%-72%). In toxic megacolon, in patients refractory to one salvage medical therapy, and in chronic severe disease, colectomy may be preferred. Decision-making regarding colectomy in children must consider the toxicity of medication consumed over many future years, the quality of life and self-image associated with either choice, as well as both functional outcomes and, in females, fertility following pouch procedures.