Appropriateness of early management of newly diagnosed Crohn's disease in a European population-based cohort

Early Initiation of Anti-TNF is Associated with Favourable Long-term Outcome in Crohn's Disease: 10-Year-Follow-up Data from the Swiss IBD Cohort Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The optimal timing of treatment escalation in Crohn's disease [CD] remains a challenging issue, and very little is known about its long-term development following early versus late administration of anti-TNF antibodies. The long-term outcome of Swiss CD patients was comparatively assessed in an up to 10-year follow-up, using patients participating in the Swiss Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort Study [SIBDCS].

METHODS

Prospectively collected SIBDCS patient data, including disease history, baseline characteristics at enrolment, and course of disease, were analysed in patients with early versus late [<24 versus ≥24 months after diagnosis] and no anti-TNF treatment.

RESULTS

A reduced risk of developing bowel stenosis was found in patients who received early anti-TNF treatment. This association was seen in patients overall and also in the subgroups of CD patients without pre-existing complications [Log-rank test: p < 0.001].Furthermore, osteoporosis and anaemia were observed significantly less frequently in patients who received early anti-TNF treatment, compared with either patients who received treatment late [p < 0.001 and p = 0.046, respectively] or were never [p < 0.001 for both] treated with anti-TNF antibodies. Patients with early anti-TNF administration sought medical consultations significantly less often, including gastroenterologists in private practice [p = 0.017], ambulatory [outpatient] hospital visits [p = 0.038], and a composite of any medical visits [p = 0.001]. The percentage of patients unable to work was lowest for early-anti-TNF-treated patients, in comparison with patients who were treated late or never [3.6% vs 8.8% vs 3.7%, p = 0.016].

CONCLUSIONS

In CD patients within the SIBDCS, early anti-TNF administration was found to be associated with several indicators of a more favourable long-term outcome.

Addressing current treatment challenges in Crohn's disease in real life: a physician's survey

BACKGROUND

In recent years several trials have addressed treatment challenges in Crohn's disease. Clinical trials however, represent a very special situation.

AIMS

To perform a cross-sectional survey among gastroenterologists on the current clinical real life therapeutic approach focussing on the use of biologics.

METHODS

A survey including six main questions on clinical management of loss of response, diagnostic evaluation prior to major treatment changes, preference for anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agent, (de-)escalation strategies as well as a basic section regarding personal information was sent by mail to all gastroenterologists in Switzerland (n=318).

RESULTS

In total, 120 questionnaires were analysed (response rate 37.7%). 90% of gastroenterologists in Switzerland use a thiopurine as the first step-up strategy (anti-TNF alone 7.5%, combination 2.5%). To address loss of response, most physicians prefer shortening the interval of anti-TNF administration followed by dose increase, switching the biologic and adding a thiopurine. In case of prolonged remission on combination therapy, the thiopurine is stopped first (52.6%) after a mean treatment duration of 15.7 months (biologic first in 41.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

Everyday clinical practice in Crohn's disease patients appears to be incongruent with clinical data derived from major trials. Studies investigating reasons underlying these discrepancies are of need to optimize and harmonize treatment.

Initial disease course and treatment in an inflammatory bowel disease inception cohort in Europe: the ECCO-EpiCom cohort

BACKGROUND

The EpiCom cohort is a prospective, population-based, inception cohort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients from 31 European centers covering a background population of 10.1 million. The aim of this study was to assess the 1-year outcome in the EpiCom cohort.

METHODS

Patients were followed-up every third month during the first 12 (±3) months, and clinical data, demographics, disease activity, medical therapy, surgery, cancers, and deaths were collected and entered in a Web-based database (www.epicom-ecco.eu).

RESULTS

In total, 1367 patients were included in the 1-year follow-up. In western Europe, 65 Crohn's disease (CD) (16%), 20 ulcerative colitis (UC) (4%), and 4 IBD unclassified (4%) patients underwent surgery, and in eastern Europe, 12 CD (12%) and 2 UC (1%) patients underwent surgery. Eighty-one CD (20%), 80 UC (14%), and 13 (9%) IBD unclassified patients were hospitalized in western Europe compared with 17 CD (16%) and 12 UC (8%) patients in eastern Europe. The cumulative probability of receiving immunomodulators was 57% for CD in western (median time to treatment 2 months) and 44% (1 month) in eastern Europe, and 21% (5 months) and 5% (6 months) for biological therapy, respectively. For UC patients, the cumulative probability was 22% (4 months) and 15% (3 months) for immunomodulators and 6% (3 months) and 1% (12 months) for biological therapy, respectively in the western and eastern Europe.

DISCUSSION

In this cohort, immunological therapy was initiated within the first months of disease. Surgery and hospitalization rates did not differ between patients from eastern and western Europe, although more western European patients received biological agents and were comparable to previous population-based inception cohorts.

Hepatitis B virus reactivation induced by infliximab administration in a patient with Crohn's disease

A 47-year-old man diagnosed with Crohn's disease was treated with infliximab. He tested negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) but positive for anti-HB core antibody (anti-HBc). He tested positive for hepatitis B virus (HBV-) DNA 3 months after treatment and was administered entecavir. HBV-DNA test showed negative results 1 month later. ALT was persistently within the normal range, and HBV-DNA was persistently negative thereafter despite the continuation of infliximab every 8 weeks. In our hospital, 14 patients with inflammatory bowel disease, who tested negative for HBsAg, were treated with infliximab; 2 of them tested positive for anti-HBs and/or anti-HBc, and HBV reactivation was observed in 1 patient (the present patient). The present case and these findings highlight that careful follow-up is needed in patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with infliximab who test positive for anti-HBc and/or anti-HBs.