Maintaining remissions across the lifespan: a roundtable discussion with Crohn's disease experts

The economic and quality-of-life burden of Crohn's disease in Europe and the United States, 2000 to 2013: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Crohn's disease (CD) is associated with a substantial healthcare burden that affects the patient, healthcare systems and society in general.

AIM

To provide a systematic evaluation of published data relating to the economic and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) burden of CD in selected European countries (Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain) and the USA since 2000.

METHODS

We undertook a systematic review of publications relating to CD, its economic burden and impact on HRQoL. Research questions focused on the disease costs from a societal perspective and HRQoL burden in adults and pediatric/adolescent patients according to disease stage/severity. Total, direct and indirect costs were identified, as well as the impact of CD on HRQoL measured using both generic and disease-specific instruments.

RESULTS

Overall, 61 publications met the research criteria (38 on costs, 23 on HRQoL). CD in the USA and Europe together was associated with annual total costs of nearly <euro>30 billion, more than half due to indirect costs. HRQoL was consistently and statistically significantly lower among CD patients compared with normal populations, due to physical, emotional and social effects.

CONCLUSIONS

CD is a global health problem with high societal costs and substantial HRQoL burden. High-value care pathways including cost-effective therapies will help to induce and maintain remission, reduce complications of disease and improve HRQoL.

Top-down or step-up treatment in Crohn's disease?

In recent years, a change in the treatment goals for patients with Crohn's disease (CD) has come under intense discussion. Whereas 10 years ago treatment was initiated mainly in reaction to acute flares of the disease aimed to improve clinical symptoms, the focus now has changed to the prevention of damage to the intestinal wall. The prevention of structural damage by achievement of 'mucosal healing', however, is associated with the more 'aggressive' treatment and an earlier use of immunosuppressants and biologicals. The use of immunosuppressants and biologicals especially in patients with CD has decreased the rates of surgery and hospitalizations, indicating that there is a group of patients definitely profiting from such an early use of immunosuppressive treatment. In this group of patients, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages of immunosuppression: the increased risk of severe infections. However, it remains questionable whether this improvement can only be achieved by completely reversing established treatment strategies. The dispute has been condensed to the questions whether 'top-down' (e.g. start with a combination of biological and immunosuppressant and 'de-escalate' if possible) or 'step-up' treatment (e.g. start with topical steroids, step up to systemic steroid, go to immunosuppression and biologicals if necessary) may be better. In general, in an upcoming era of individualized and personalized medicine, a 'one-size-fits-all' approach does not appear to be desirable. CD patients definitely should not be undertreated (which is still frequently the case) or remain on steroid treatment (which is inappropriate); however, overtreatment (putting patients at risk of side effects without benefit) is against a fundamental principle of medicine: nihil nocere (do no harm).

Telephone nurse counseling for medication adherence in ulcerative colitis: a preliminary study

OBJECTIVE

Adherence is challenging in episodic chronic conditions that require medication during both symptomatic and quiescent periods, such as ulcerative colitis (UC). Adherence for these conditions is under-studied. This study was a preliminary test of telephone nurse counseling to address cognitive and emotional barriers to adherence in UC.

METHODS

524 people taking mesalamine for UC were referred by their health care providers, and 278 (53%) enrolled. There were no demographic differences between program participants and nonparticipants. Participants reported multiple comorbidities and concomitant medications. All participants received telephone follow-up (M = 2.1 calls) from a registered nurse who used cognitive-behavioral and motivational interviewing counseling techniques. Adherence measured by structured interview was compared to a population baseline using a binomial test.

RESULTS

Attrition was 51% over 6 months but was unrelated to adherence. Participants had better adherence than the expected population rate, with a significant dose-response effect. Reasons for nonadherence were primarily psychological or efficacy-related.

CONCLUSION

Adherence following intervention was better than typical mesalamine adherence. Self-efficacy predicted adherence, but demographic and clinical variables did not. Adherent participants reported more adverse events.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Attention to patients' cognitive and emotional reactions may help to improve adherence in episodic chronic diseases such as UC.

CD56 marks an effector T cell subset in the human intestine

T cells are key mediators of intestinal immunity, and specific T cell subsets can have differing immunoregulatory roles in animal models of mucosal inflammation. In this study, we describe human CD56+ T cells as a morphologically distinct population expressing a mature, nonproliferative phenotype that is frequent in the gut. Enhanced potential for IFN-gamma and TNF synthesis suggested a proinflammatory function, and we directly demonstrate effector function mediated by direct T-T interaction with responder cells in vitro. CD56+ T cells from peripheral blood responded to the gut-related CD2 signal, and were necessary for effective CD2-mediated proliferation of peripheral blood CD56- T cells. Our findings associate CD56+ T cells with the intestinal immune compartment and suggest a putative effector function in human mucosal immunity.

Polymeric diet alone versus corticosteroids in the treatment of active pediatric Crohn's disease: a randomized controlled open-label trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Nutritional therapy has been reported to have an almost equivalent efficacy of corticosteroids in achieving clinical remission in active Crohn's disease (CD). However, the effects of both treatments on intestinal mucosal inflammation rarely are reported. In a randomized controlled trial in children with active CD we compared the efficacy of nutritional therapy alone or corticosteroids on clinical variables and intestinal mucosal healing.

METHODS

In a prospective, 10-week open-label trial, children with active, naive CD were randomized to orally polymeric formula alone or oral corticosteroids. The clinical activity index and nutritional and activity serum variables were evaluated at week 0 and then every 2 weeks; intestinal mucosal inflammation was assessed through endoscopy and histology at weeks 0 and 10. Primary efficacy outcomes were clinical remission and mucosal healing.

RESULTS

Of the 37 children randomized, 19 received polymeric formula and 18 received corticosteroids. At week 10, on an intention-to-treat basis, the proportion of patients achieving clinical remission was comparable between the 2 groups (polymeric formula: 15/19 [79%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 56%-92%]; corticosteroid group: 12/18 [67%; 95% CI, 44%-84%]; P = .4; not significant). On the contrary, the proportion of children showing mucosa healing was significantly higher in the polymeric (14/19; 74%; 95% CI, 51%-89%) than the corticosteroid group (6/18 [33%; 95% CI, 16%-57%]; P < .05). At week 10 both endoscopic and histologic scores significantly decreased only in the polymeric group (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

In children with active and recently diagnosed CD, a short course of polymeric diet is more effective than corticosteroids in inducing healing of gut inflammatory lesions.