Use of Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Arthritis Associated With Ulcerative Colitis

Dual targeted therapy in patients with psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthritis: a real-world multicenter experience from Spain

Dual targeted therapy (DTT) has emerged as a promising approach in patients with refractory spondyloarthritis (SpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and extra-musculoskeletal manifestations of both diseases, but its effectiveness/safety ratio still remains unclear. This is a retrospective, real-world multicenter study in refractory SpA and PsA patients with simultaneous use of two biological or synthetic targeted agents. Effectiveness was assessed using Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein (ASDAS-CRP) and Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) Score. We identified 39 different DTT combinations in 36 patients (22 SpA; 14 PsA), 25 of them with concomitant inflammatory bowel disease. The most commonly used combinations were TNF inhibitor plus antagonist of the IL12/23 pathway, followed by TNF inhibitor plus IL-17 antagonist. During a median exposure of 14.86 months (IQR 8-20.2), DTT retention rate was 69.4% (n=25/36; 19 SpA, 6 PsA). Major clinical improvement (change in ASDAS-CRP > 2 or improvement > 85% in DAPSA) was achieved in 69.4% of patients (n=25/36 therapeutical combinations; 17/21 SpA, 8/15 PsA), with a 58.3% (n=21/36 combinations; 15/20 SpA, 6/13 PsA) low-activity/remission rate. Of the patients who were receiving glucocorticoids, 55% managed to withdraw them during follow-up. Interestingly, only four serious adverse events in three patients were observed, leading to DTT discontinuation.

Advanced Combination Treatment With Biologic Agents and Novel Small Molecule Drugs for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The use of combination therapy with a biologic agent and immunosuppressant has well-established efficacy and safety and is common practice in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Current research has shifted focus toward the use of advanced combination treatment (ACT). This term was coined to describe combination therapy using 2 or more advanced treatments (biologic agents and/or oral small molecule drugs) with the aim of achieving optimal disease control in selected patients. An ACT approach may be particularly beneficial in patients with documented medically refractory IBD and in patients with a poor prognosis, extraintestinal manifestations, or concomitant immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. To date, the body of evidence for ACT strategies in IBD is largely comprised of uncontrolled retrospective case series and cohort studies in highly refractory patients. Recently, results from the VEGA trial have suggested that combination induction therapy with guselkumab and golimumab was more effective in ulcerative colitis than either agent alone. However, questions remain about issues such as related costs, ACT duration, and optimal combinations to adopt. Future randomized controlled trials are likely to evaluate rationally selected combinations of agents. This article summarizes the available literature on ACT, including comparisons with traditional combination therapy and the rheumatology field, and discusses practical recommendations, profiles of IBD patients who should be considered for combination approaches in clinical practice, and remaining knowledge gaps.

Tofacitinib for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease-associated arthritis: two case reports

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal manifestations are common extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease. Tofacitinib is a Janus kinase inhibitor approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis. There are limited data on the efficacy of tofacitinib in managing inflammatory bowel disease-associated arthritis. Here we report two patients with ulcerative colitis- and Crohn's disease-associated arthritis successfully responding to tofacitinib.

CASES

A 34-year-old Bangladeshi woman presented with lower limb polyarthritis for 7 years. Six months after the onset of polyarthritis, she developed abdominal pain with rectal bleeding. Colonoscopy and rectal biopsy findings confirmed ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis associated arthritis was diagnosed. Treatment with sulfasalazine, etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab, and methotrexate gave no long-lasting remission. Methotrexate with mesalazine gave a partial response, and tofacitinib 5 mg twice per day was added. Her articular and abdominal symptoms improved within a month, and remission persisted till 24 months of follow-up, except a short-lasting mild flare at the seventh month. A 52-year-old Bangladeshi man had Crohn's disease for 5 years. He presented with a swollen left knee and pain in other joints. Laboratory showed positive HLA-B27. He was intolerant to sulfasalazine and experienced poor response to methotrexate. Due to his inability to afford anti-tumor necrosis factor, tofacitinib was initiated. His arthritis improved within a month, and he remained in remission up to the sixth month.

CONCLUSIONS

In a woman with ulcerative colitis associated arthritis, refractory to biologic therapy, both arthritis and colitis improved with tofacitinib. A patient with Crohn's disease-associated arthritis went into remission with tofacitinib. Tofacitinib may be effective in inflammatory bowel disease-associated arthritis.

Endo-histologic Normalization Is Achievable with Tofacitinib and Is Associated with Improved Clinical Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Recent real-world effectiveness studies investigating tofacitinib have been encouraging. Questions remain regarding the long-term effectiveness and safety of tofacitinib, effect on endoscopic remission rates, histologic changes, and alterations in fecal calprotectin levels.

METHODS

This retrospective study includes consecutive patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who initiated tofacitinib therapy. We reviewed electronic medical records for demographic and clinical data, as well as all adverse events and hospitalizations. All patients receiving tofacitinib were included in the safety analysis and only patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were included in the effectiveness analysis.

RESULTS

119 patients with IBD (97 UC, 12 CD, and 10 pouchitis) seen at our center between 2014 and 2020 were included in this study. Median follow-up was 32 weeks (interquartile range (IQR) 3-252). Clinical response and remission were observed in 70% and 21%, 59% and 33%, and 49%, and 37% at weeks 8, 24, and 52, respectively. Endo-histologic healing was achieved by 11%, 25%, and 37.5% of patients at weeks 8, 24, and 52, respectively. Histologic normalization occurred as early as 24 weeks in this cohort and was achieved by 26% of patients in endoscopic remission. Overall, there were 27 (25%) adverse events with 6 (5%) resulting in treatment discontinuation. There were 11 (10%) infections, none required treatment discontinuation. Ten (10.3%) patients underwent colectomy during the follow-up period. There were no cardiovascular adverse events in the cohort during follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates the effectiveness and long-term safety of tofacitinib in patients with UC. Importantly, we show that the endpoint of endo-histologic healing is achievable with tofacitinib and can occur as early as week 8 of therapy.

Effect of tofacitinib in a patient with inflammatory bowel disease-related arthritis

Extraintestinal manifestations are common in patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Peripheral arthritis occurs in ∼10% of patients with IBD. Treatment of both arthritis and the IBD disease is challenging, and involvement of both the rheumatologist and the gastroenterologist is essential. We present a case with concomitant polyarthritis and ulcerative colitis successfully treated with tofacitinib. A 32-year-old woman with ulcerative colitis currently treated with azathioprine and adalimumab was referred to our rheumatology clinic due to pain and swelling in her knees and finger joints. The patient was diagnosed with IBD-related arthritis. Intra-articular injection with steroid was initially effective, but the arthritis was persistent. Treatment attempts with salazopyrine and golimumab were discontinued due to drug-induced pancreatitis and urticaria, respectively. Subsequently treatment with tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily was effective within weeks, and apart from a mild folliculitis, there were no side effects. With this case report, we would like to draw attention to the fact that treatment with tofacitinib may constitute a good treatment option in refractory cases of IBD-related arthritis.

Choosing the right biologic for complications of inflammatory bowel disease

INTRODUCTION

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, inflammatory condition that involves the intestinal tract, and can also present with extra-intestinal manifestations (EIM). Choosing the right treatment for IBD is often nuanced and decisions can become even more complicated when a patient presents with or develops a complication of the disease.

AREAS COVERED

We aimed to provide an overview of the most common complications of IBD, specifically intestinal and EIM, and summarize the data regarding biologic therapy for treatment of these conditions. A comprehensive literature review was performed using PubMed and Medline databases to identify studies published in the English language relevant to the broad scope of this review.

EXPERT OPINION

There are still significant gaps in our understanding of the pathophysiology of IBD and its treatment, especially in regards to complications of the disease. As novel therapies continue to emerge for treatment of IBD, we feel concurrent examination of their impact on intestinal complications and EIM of IBD is important and should be a priority of future research.

Extraintestinal manifestations at baseline, and the effect of tofacitinib, in patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis

INTRODUCTION

Extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are common. Tofacitinib is an oral, small molecule Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of UC. We evaluated the efficacy of tofacitinib in patients with EIMs, and the impact of tofacitinib on EIMs in patients with UC in the OCTAVE clinical program.

METHODS

Data from two 8-week induction studies (OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2) and a 52-week maintenance study (OCTAVE Sustain) were analyzed. The effect of tofacitinib on efficacy outcomes stratified by EIM status, proportion of predefined prior and active EIMs at baseline, and change from baseline in EIMs were determined at the end of the treatment period (weeks 8 or 52), or at early termination.

RESULTS

At baseline of OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2, and OCTAVE Sustain, 27.0% and 9.0% of patients had a history of EIMs (prior or active), respectively. Patients treated with tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily (BID) achieved remission and had endoscopic improvement in all studies, irrespective of any history of EIMs. A greater proportion of patients had active peripheral arthritis at baseline of OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2 versus OCTAVE Sustain. In OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2, similar proportions of tofacitinib and placebo-treated patients with active peripheral arthritis experienced either no change (81.3% and 85.7%, respectively) or an improvement (15.6% and 14.3%, respectively). By week 52 of OCTAVE Sustain, improvements in active peripheral arthritis were only observed in tofacitinib-treated patients (16.7% and 33.3% with tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg BID, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Any history of EIMs did not influence the efficacy of tofacitinib 10 mg BID for induction or maintenance of UC. The most common active EIM was peripheral arthritis, for which many patients in OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2, and OCTAVE Sustain, reported improvement or no change from baseline with tofacitinib treatment.Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT01465763; NCT01458951; NCT01458574.

Vedolizumab and Extraintestinal Manifestations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

In Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, inflammation is not limited to the digestive tract. Extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs), which affect up to 50% of patients, can substantially impair quality of life. EIMs may parallel luminal disease activity or have an independent course. They most commonly involve the musculoskeletal system (e.g., peripheral or axial arthritis) and skin (e.g., erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum). Less commonly, the hepatobiliary tract (e.g., primary sclerosing cholangitis [PSC]) and the eye (e.g., episcleritis, scleritis, and uveitis) are involved. Although the pathophysiology of EIMs is poorly understood, they are likely either manifestations of a primary systemic immune disease with variable expression amongst organs, or secondary phenomena to bowel inflammation. Additional pathophysiologic mechanisms may include aberrant lymphocyte homing mediated by ectopic expression of gut-specific chemokines and adhesion molecules, cross-reactivity between microbial and self-antigens, autoantibodies against epitopes shared by the intestine and extraintestinal tissues, elevated serum concentrations of cytokines, and alterations in innate immunity. Many EIMs independent of intestinal disease activity can be successfully treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists. The efficacy of vedolizumab-a monoclonal antibody targeting the α4β7 integrin-for the treatment of EIMs is uncertain, but data are emerging from post hoc analyses of randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, and case series. Vedolizumab may be effective in treating EIMs related to luminal disease activity (e.g., type 1 peripheral arthritis and erythema nodosum) but has not shown biochemical improvement in PSC. Its postulated role in the development of de novo EIMs is heavily confounded by the high proportion of patients previously exposed to TNF antagonists; new EIMs could result from TNF antagonist treatment cessation rather than being caused by vedolizumab. A common limitation of clinical studies is the lack of multidisciplinary involvement in the diagnosis and monitoring of EIMs, which may lead to misdiagnosis and overreporting. Future studies should rigorously measure EIMs in parallel with objective measures of luminal disease activity to provide more robust data on the relative efficacy of new drugs, especially as increasing numbers of gut-selective compounds enter clinical development.