Paradoxical ulcerative colitis during adalimumab treatment of psoriasis resolved by switch to ustekinumab

Infliximab-induced psoriasis in an ulcerative colitis patient successfully treated with guselkumab

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors such as infliximab (IFX) are used to treat UC. But TNF inhibitors can induce psoriasis, which was characterized by IL-17/IL-22 expressing Th17 cells and IFN-γ expressing Th1 cells, with increased expression of Th17 cells correlated with more severe skin lesions and a need for Ustekinumab (UST) therapy1. UST is a monoclonal antibody that binds to the p40 subunit of the interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23. It has shown remarkable efficacy in psoriasis and UC2. Guselkumab, a subcutaneously administered fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that selectively inhibits the p19 subunit of IL-23, is approved for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis3. It was shown to be efficacious in patients with prior failure of other biologics such as UST and was also observed in the treatment of psoriasis localized in difficult-to-treat body regions including the scalp, palms, soles, and fingernails. We report a case of successful use of guselkumab to treat a UC patient with IFX-induced psoriasis that was refractory to UST therapy.

Focus on Anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α-Related Autoimmune Diseases

Anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α agents have been increasingly used to treat patients affected by inflammatory bowel disease and dermatological and rheumatologic inflammatory disorders. However, the widening use of biologics is related to a new class of adverse events called paradoxical reactions. Its pathogenesis remains unclear, but it is suggested that cytokine remodulation in predisposed individuals can lead to the inflammatory process. Here, we dissect the clinical aspects and overall outcomes of autoimmune diseases caused by anti-TNF-α therapies.

Therapeutic agents affecting the immune system and drug-induced inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): A review on etiological and pathogenetic aspects

In recent years, therapeutic agents affecting the immune system have been largely implemented in the treatment of various hematological, rheumatological and dermatological disorders. Their clinical use has offered important benefits for affected patients and has also ameliorated clinical outcome and prognosis in many cases. Nonetheless, as any treatment, the use of these drugs may be associated with side effects. One of the target organs in such cases is the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, the exacerbation or the onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in treated patients is not infrequent, although the mechanism of action of these agents may be different. In this review we will focus on the use of therapeutic agents affecting the immune system and the development or exacerbation of IBD, with a mention on the possible underlying pathogenetic mechanisms.

Ustekinumab for the treatment of paradoxical skin reactions and cutaneous manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases

Ustekinumab (STELARA), a human monoclonal antibody directed against IL-12 and IL-23, is FDA-approved to treat psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. Increasing recognition of paradoxical skin reactions induced by older biologic therapies used for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as, adalimumab and infliximab, has led to the investigation of ustekinumab for the treatment of the cutaneous and gastrointestinal manifestations of IBD. In addition, ustekinumab may show efficacy in treating paradoxical cutaneous reactions to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors. A search of the Medline/PubMed database, with additional citations obtained from the references section of relevant articles, yielded 22 articles that were included in this review. Ustekinumab is a safe and effective option for treating the cutaneous manifestations of IBD, such as, metastatic Crohn's disease and pyoderma gangrenosum. It is also an effective treatment for TNF-α inhibitor-induced paradoxical skin reactions, such as, psoriasis that do not remit spontaneously or with conventional treatment. Additional studies should focus on the optimal dosing of ustekinumab for dermatologic conditions beyond psoriasis.

Secondary causes of inflammatory bowel diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), conventionally consist of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis. They occur in individuals with high risk genotype for the disease in the setting of appropriate environmental factors. The pathogenesis of IBD involves a dysregulated autoimmune response to gut dysbiosis, which in turn is triggered due to exposure to various inciting environmental factors. But there is no clearly defined etiology of IBD and this type of disease is termed as “idiopathic IBD”, “classic IBD”, or “primary IBD”. We reviewed the current medical literature and found that certain etiological factors may be responsible for the development of IBD or IBD-like conditions, and we consider this form of de novo IBD as “secondary IBD”. Currently known factors that are potentially responsible for giving rise to secondary IBD are medications; bowel altering surgeries and transplantation of organs, stem cells or fecal microbiome. Medications associated with the development of secondary IBD include; immunomodulators, anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents, anti-interleukin agents, interferons, immune stimulating agents and checkpoint inhibitors. Colectomy can in some cases give rise to de novo CD, pouchitis of the ileal pouch, or postcolectomy enteritis syndrome. After solid organ transplantation or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the recipient may develop de novo IBD or IBD flare. Fecal microbiota transplantation has been widely used to treat patients suffering from recurrent Clostridium difficile infection but can also causes IBD flares.

Switching biologics in psoriasis - practical guidance and evidence to support

INTRODUCTION

Advances of biologic agents have changed the treatment paradigm of psoriasis to higher efficacy and better quality of life. However, the demand for biologic switch is increasing due to patient's greater expectation and decreasing efficacy in long-term use. Also, biologic-induced adverse effects necessitate the switching of biologics.

AREAS COVERED

This review article was divided into two parts. The first part focused on the biologic switch due to lack of efficacy. The second part provided switching suggestions related to adverse effects.

EXPERT COMMENTARY

Biologic switch in psoriasis was mainly due to lack of efficacy, and the subsequent biologic agent was usually given at the next scheduled time point without washout period. In pivotal randomized controlled trials, patients with poor response to TNF-alpha inhibitors and ustekinumab achieved better efficacy after switching to IL-23 and IL-17 inhibitors. In addition, real-world data showed that intra-class switch could still achieve a 50%-80% of PASI 75 response in individuals with anti-IL-17 failure histories. As for the biologic switch due to adverse effects, washout period was recommended and transition to a biologic agent with different modes of action was preferred, especially class-specific adverse events.

Anti-Inflammatory Biologics and Anti-Tumoral Immune Therapies-Associated Colitis: A Focused Review of Literature

An increasing number of drugs including monoclonal antibodies and small molecules, either anti-inflammatory or immunity-enhancing, have been developed to treat human diseases and the number of medications in these classes is likely to expand in the future. The two most commonly used categories of such therapies are the anti-inflammatory group (anti- tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, anti-interleukins/interleukin receptors, and anti-integrin bodies) and the anti-tumoral agents (immune checkpoint inhibitors, anti-CD20, and anti-endothelial growth factor). Although the anti-inflammatory biologics have brought about a revolutionary effect in the management of a variety of autoimmune disorders including rheumatologic diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, and inflammatory dermatological diseases, their ability to induce colitis in patients without a prior history of colitis or exacerbate quiescent colitis has been increasingly and unexpectedly recognized. While the use of immune-augmenting monoclonal antibody therapies results in a significant survival benefit in a subset of patients with malignancies, these monoclonal antibodies also have the ability to cause colitis through an apparent autoimmune mechanism. Colitis associated with these medications may demonstrate multiple histologic patterns including increased apoptosis (graft versus host disease (GVHD)-like), autoimmune enteropathy pattern, acute colitis pattern, ischemic colitis, inflammatory bowel disease pattern, either ulcerative colitis-like, Crohn’s disease-like, or fulminant colitis-like. In addition, anti-inflammatory biologics are known to cause or reactivate latent infections such as tuberculosis and increase the risk for malignancies including high-grade lymphomas as well as indolent lymphoproliferative disorders. Thus, the differential diagnosis for colitis in patients receiving therapeutic anti-inflammatory biologics or anti-tumoral agents can be broad. Optimal diagnosis and treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach. This review aims to provide an overview of the literature on the clinical features, histology, and treatment of these newly recognized anti-inflammatory biologic and anti-tumoral immune therapy-induced colitises and hopes this outlines will raise the vigilance of all clinicians of these entities.