Impact of HIV Infection on the Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Drug Safety Profile: A Multicenter GETAID Study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) both impact innate and adaptive immunity in the intestinal mucosa. As it is a rare situation, the intersection between HIV and IBD remains unclear, especially the impact of HIV infection on the course of IBD, and the drug safety profile is unknown.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study between January 2019 and August 2020. All adult patients with IBD and concomitant HIV infection were included. Each IBD patient with HIV was matched to two HIV-uninfected IBD patients.

RESULTS

Overall, 195 patients with IBD were included, including 65 HIV-infected patients and 130 without HIV infection. Of the 65 infected patients, 22 (33.8%) required immunosuppressants and 31 (47.7%) biologics. In the HIV-infected group, the need for immunosuppressants (p = 0.034 for CD and p = 0.012 for UC) and biologics (p = 0.004 for CD and p = 0.008 for UC) was significantly lower. The disease course, using a severity composite criterion, was not significantly different between the two groups for CD (hazard ration (HR) = 1.3 [0.7; 2.4], p = 0.45) and UC (HR, 1.1 [0.5; 2.7], p = 0.767). The overall drug safety profile was statistically similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Although HIV-infected patients receive less treatments, the course of their IBD did not differ than uninfected, suggesting that HIV infection might attenuate IBD. The drug safety profile is reassuring, allowing physician to treat these patients according to current recommendations.

Safety of ustekinumab or vedolizumab in pregnant inflammatory bowel disease patients: a multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is high in women of childbearing age. Achieving clinical remission from conception to delivery using current medications is a major issue in IBD.

AIMS

To assess maternal and neonatal complications and management of vedolizumab or ustekinumab) in pregnant women with IBD receiving these agents.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study among GETAID centres including women with IBD who received ustekinumab or vedolizumab during pregnancy or within the 2 months before conception and compared outcomes to women exposed to anti-TNF treatment during pregnancy.

RESULTS

Seventy-three pregnancies in 68 women with IBD were analysed: 29 on ustekinumab resulting in 26 (90%) live births, two (7%) spontaneous abortions and one (3%) elective termination; 44 on vedolizumab resulting in 38 (86%) live births, five (11%) spontaneous abortions and one (3%) medical interruption. The control group included 88 pregnancies exposed to anti-TNF in 76 women with IBD. The median age at conception, the proportion of women who smoked or in clinical activity at conception was comparable between groups. Only the proportion of patients exposed to >2 anti-TNF agents was significantly increased among the ustekinumab and vedolizumab groups compared to control group (22% and 10% vs 3%, P < 0.005). Rates of prematurity, spontaneous abortion, congenital malformations and maternal complications were comparable between groups.

CONCLUSION

We report 73 pregnancies in patients receiving vedolizumab or ustekinumab without a negative signal on maternal or neonatal outcomes. Further prospective studies are needed on the outcomes of pregnancies with new biologic drugs.

Early Transmural Response Assessed Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Could Predict Sustained Clinical Remission and Prevent Bowel Damage in Patients with Crohn's Disease Treated with Anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor Therapy

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] is a promising tool to evaluate therapeutic efficacy in ileocolonic Crohn's disease [CD].

AIMS

We aimed to assess the feasibility of early MRI evaluation (week 12 [W12]) to predict corticosteroid-free remission [CFREM] at W52 and prevent long-term bowel damage.

METHODS

All patients with active CD needing anti-tumour necrosis factor [anti-TNF] therapy were consecutively enrolled in this multicentre prospective study. MRI was performed before starting therapy, at W12 and W52. CFREM was defined as Crohn's Disease Activity Index < 150, C-reactive protein < 5 mg/L and faecal calprotectin < 250 µg/g, with no switch of anti-TNF agents, no bowel resection and no therapeutic intensification between W12 and W52.

RESULTS

Among 46 patients, 22 [47.8%] achieved CFREM at W52. Anti-TNF agents were able to heal almost all CD lesions as soon as W12 [p < 0.05]. Early transmural response defined as a 25% decrease of either Clermont score (odds ratio [OR] = 7.7 [1.7-34.0], p < 0.001) or Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity (OR = 4.2 [1.3-13.3], p = 0.015) was predictive of CFREM at W52. Achieving at least two items on W12-MRI among ulceration healing, disappearance of enlarged lymph nodes or sclerolipomatosis, ΔADC [apparent diffusion coefficient] > +10% or ΔRCE [relative contrast enhancement] > -30% was associated with a likelihood of CFREM at W52 of 84.6% vs 37.5% in patients without transmural response [p < 0.001]. Early transmural response could prevent bowel damage progression over time using Clermont score (hazard ratio = 0.21 [0.0-0.9]; p = 0.037).

CONCLUSION

Evaluation of early transmural response by MRI is feasible and is a promising end point to monitor therapeutic efficacy in patients with CD.

Comparative efficacy and safety of vedolizumab and infliximab in ulcerative colitis after failure of a first subcutaneous anti-TNF agent: a multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

Few data exist to help select a second biologic agent in patients with refractory ulcerative colitis (UC).

AIM

To compare the efficacy of infliximab (IFX) and vedolizumab (VDZ) in UC patients who failed a first subcutaneous anti-tumor necrosing factor (TNF) agent.

METHODS

Consecutive UC patients from 12 French centres starting IFX or VDZ after at least one injection of adalimumab or golimumab have been included in a retrospective study. Outcomes were clinical remission at week 14, survival without treatment discontinuation and survival without UC-related event.

RESULTS

Among the 225 patients included, clinical remission at week 14 was achieved in 40/154 (26%) patients treated with IFX and in 35/71 (49%) treated with VDZ (P = 0.001). After a propensity score matching analysis, this difference remained significant (odds ratio: 1.67; 95% confidence interval: 1.08-2.56; P = 0.02). With a median follow-up of 117 weeks, survival rates without treatment discontinuation at years 1 and 3 were 50% and 29% with IFX, and 80% and 55% with VDZ, respectively (P < 0.001). Regarding survival without UC-related event, they were 49% and 27% with IFX, and 74% and 52% with VDZ (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

After failure of a first subcutaneous anti-TNF agent, UC patients were more likely to achieve clinical remission with VDZ than those treated with IFX. Although due to prescription habits patients in the IFX group had a significantly more severe disease, these differences remained after adjustments and subgroup analyses. Such results have to be confirmed prospectively and warrant dedicated head-to-head trials.

Faecal calprotectin and magnetic resonance imaging in detecting Crohn’s disease endoscopic postoperative recurrence

AIM

To assess magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and faecal calprotectin to detect endoscopic postoperative recurrence in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD).

METHODS

From two tertiary centers, all patients with CD who underwent ileocolonic resection were consecutively and prospectively included. All the patients underwent MRI and endoscopy within the first year after surgery or after the restoration of intestinal continuity [median = 6 mo (5.0-9.3)]. The stools were collected the day before the colonoscopy to evaluate faecal calprotectin level. Endoscopic postoperative recurrence (POR) was defined as Rutgeerts’ index ≥ i2b. The MRI was analyzed independently by two radiologists blinded from clinical data.

RESULTS

Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was lower in patients with endoscopic POR compared to those with no recurrence (2.03 ± 0.32 vs 2.27 ± 0.38 × 10^-3 mm²/s, P = 0.032). Clermont score (10.4 ± 5.8 vs 7.4 ± 4.5, P = 0.038) and relative contrast enhancement (RCE) (129.4% ± 62.8% vs 76.4% ± 32.6%, P = 0.007) were significantly associated with endoscopic POR contrary to the magnetic resonance index of activity (MaRIA) (7.3 ± 4.5 vs 4.8 ± 3.7; P = 0.15) and MR scoring system (P = 0.056). ADC < 2.35 × 10^-3 mm²/s [sensitivity = 0.85, specificity = 0.65, positive predictive value (PPV) = 0.85, negative predictive value (NPV) = 0.65] and RCE > 100% (sensitivity = 0.75, specificity = 0.81, PPV = 0.75, NPV = 0.81) were the best cut-off values to identify endoscopic POR. Clermont score > 6.4 (sensitivity = 0.61, specificity = 0.82, PPV = 0.73, NPV = 0.74), MaRIA > 3.76 (sensitivity = 0.61, specificity = 0.82, PPV = 0.73, NPV = 0.74) and a MR scoring system ≥ MR1 (sensitivity = 0.54, specificity = 0.82, PPV = 0.70, and NPV = 0.70) demonstrated interesting performances to detect endoscopic POR. Faecal calprotectin values were significantly higher in patients with endoscopic POR (114 ± 54.5 μg/g vs 354.8 ± 432.5 μg/g; P = 0.0075). Faecal calprotectin > 100 μg/g demonstrated high performances to detect endoscopic POR (sensitivity = 0.67, specificity = 0.93, PPV = 0.89 and NPV = 0.77).

CONCLUSION

Faecal calprotectin and MRI are two reliable tools to detect endoscopic POR in patients with CD.

Endoscopy-based management decreases the risk of postoperative recurrences in Crohn’s disease

AIM: To investigate whether an endoscopy-based management could prevent the long-term risk of postoperative recurrence.

METHODS: From the pathology department database, we retrospectively retrieved the data of all the patients operated on for Crohn’s disease (CD) in our center (1986-2015). Endoscopy-based management was defined as systematic postoperative colonoscopy (median time after surgery = 9.5 mo) in patients with no clinical postoperative recurrence at the time of endoscopy.

RESULTS: From 205 patients who underwent surgery, 161 patients (follow-up > 6 mo) were included. Endoscopic postoperative recurrence occurred in 67.6%, 79.7%, and 95.5% of the patients, respectively 5, 10 and 20 years after surgery. The rate of clinical postoperative recurrence was 61.4%, 75.9%, and 92.5% at 5, 10 and 20 years, respectively. The rate of surgical postoperative recurrence was 19.0%, 38.9% and 64.7%, respectively, 5, 10 and 20 years after surgery. In multivariate analysis, previous intestinal resection, prior exposure to anti-TNF therapy before surgery, and fistulizing phenotype (B3) were postoperative risk factors. Previous perianal abscess/fistula (other perianal lesions excluded), were predictive of only symptomatic recurrence. In multivariate analysis, an endoscopy-based management (n = 49/161) prevented clinical (HR = 0.4, 95%CI: 0.25-0.66, P < 0.001) and surgical postoperative recurrence (HR = 0.30, 95%CI: 0.13-0.70, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSION: Endoscopy-based management should be recommended in all CD patients within the first year after surgery as it highly decreases the long-term risk of clinical recurrence and reoperation.

Faecal chitinase 3-like 1 is a reliable marker as accurate as faecal calprotectin in detecting endoscopic activity in adult patients with inflammatory bowel diseases

BACKGROUND

Faecal biomarkers are emerging tools in the assessment of mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs).

AIM

To evaluate the accuracy of faecal chitinase 3-like 1(CHI3L1) compared to calprotectin in detecting endoscopic activity in IBD.

METHODS

Overall, 86 IBD adults underwent colonoscopy consecutively and prospectively, with Crohn's disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS) or Mayo endoscopic subscore calculation for ulcerative colitis, and stool collection. Faecal calprotectin was measured using quantitative immunochromatographic testing. Faecal CHI3L1 was quantified by ELISA. CHI3L1 cut-off value was determined using a receiver-operating curve.

RESULTS

In 54 Crohn's disease patients, faecal CHI3L1 (ρ = 0.70, P < 0.001) and calprotectin (ρ = 0.74, P < 0.001) levels correlated with CDEIS and were significantly increased in patients with endoscopic ulceration. In patients with ileal Crohn's disease, faecal CHI3L1 seemed to be better correlated with CDEIS than faecal calprotectin (ρ = 0.78 vs. ρ = 0.62, P < 0.001 for both). CHI3L1 > 15 ng/g detected endoscopic ulceration in Crohn's disease with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 63.6%, compared to faecal calprotectin > 250 μg/g showing a sensitivity of 90.5% and a specificity of 59.1%. In 32 ulcerative colitis patients, faecal CHI3L1 and calprotectin levels correlated with Mayo endoscopic subscore (ρ = 0.44 and 0.61, respectively, P < 0.001 for both) and were significantly increased in ulcerative colitis patients with endoscopic activity. In ulcerative colitis patients, faecal CHI3L1 > 15 ng/g predicted endoscopic activity with a sensitivity of 81.8% and a specificity of 80.0%, compared to faecal calprotectin>250 μg/g showing a sensitivity of 86.4% and a specificity of 80.0%.

CONCLUSION

Faecal CHI3L1 is a reliable biomarker in detecting endoscopic activity in IBD.

Endoscopic Factors Influencing Fecal Calprotectin Value in Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Fecal calprotectin [fcal] is a biomarker of Crohn's disease [CD] endoscopic activity. Identifying the endoscopic situations in which fcal is less reliable remains unexplored. We aimed to determine the endoscopic factors influencing fcal level in CD.

METHODS

Overall, 53 CD patients consecutively and prospectively underwent colonoscopy, with CD Endoscopic Index of Severity [CDEIS] calculation and stool collection. Fcal was measured using a quantitative immunochromatographic test. Correlation analysis was done with Pearson statistics.

RESULTS

Fcal was correlated with CDEIS [0.66, p < 0.001]. In univariate analysis, fcal was correlated with the affected surface [0.65, p < 0.001] and the ulcerated surface [0.47, p < 0.001]. Fcal was significantly associated with ulceration depth, with median fcal of 867.5 µg/g, 1251.0 µg/g, and 1800.0 µg/g, in patients presenting with non-ulcerated lesions, superficial ulcerations [SU], and deep ulcerations [DU], respectively. Lesion locations did not influence fcal. In multivariate analysis, fcal was associated with affected surface [p = 0.04] and the presence of CD lesions. Moreover, fcal increased with the ulceration depth [p = 0.03]. However, ulcerated surface and CD location did not affect fcal. Using a receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve, we showed that fcal of 400 µg/g was the best compromise between sensitivity [0.76] and specificity [0.77], whereas fcal ≥ 200 µg/g was highly sensitive [0.86] to detect SU or DU.

CONCLUSIONS

Fcal is a very reliable biomarker to detect endoscopic ulcerations in CD. We suggest repeating measurement in case of intermediary results [200-400 µg/g] in daily practice. Fcal level is mostly influenced by the presence of CD lesions [even non-ulcerated], in a depth-related manner and by the affected surface.

Biliary stenting is not a prerequisite to endoscopic placement of duodenal covered self-expandable metal stents

BACKGROUND

Duodenal covered self-expandable metal stent (cSEMS) can be used in malignant or benign gastroduodenal obstruction. The need for biliary stenting in patients with no concomitant biliary stricture, before duodenal cSEMS placement, remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine whether cSEMS placement is responsible for biliary obstruction.

METHODS

This is a single-center, retrospective, case-controlled study, including 106 patients with symptomatic gastric outlet obstruction or duodenal fistula who received a covered nitinol duodenal stent by using through-the-scope/over-the-wire placement procedure. The main outcome measurement was the occurrence comparison of jaundice and bilirubin level, between patients with previous or concomitant biliary stenting (cSEMS + BS group), and patients with no biliary stent (cSEMS group) during an observational period of 90 days.

RESULTS

Hundred and six patients underwent cSEMS placement between June 2005 and March 2014: 53 in the cSEMS group (58% male, mean age 66.4 ± 13.3 years) and 53 in cSEMS + BS group (60% male, mean age 70.4 ± 11.6 years). The obstruction was due to cancer in 45% in cSEMS group and 87% in cSEMS + BS group. No case of jaundice was reported in the cSEMS group or in the cSEMS + BS group. In cSEMS group, the mean bilirubin level (μmol/L ± SD) was 8.0 ± 4 at baseline and 8.5 ± 4.6 at day 10, while in the cSEMS + BS group it was 91.4 ± 108 at baseline and 35.3 ± 39 at day 10 (p < 0.01). Patients from the two groups were matched on age, gender and bilirubin level at baseline. Evolution of bilirubinemia was +0.98 ± 2.76 µmol/L in experimental group and +0.39 ± 522 µmol/L in the control group (p = 0.34). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in term of technical success, clinical effectiveness, migration and other complications.

CONCLUSIONS

Previous biliary stenting is not required before endoscopic covered duodenal stent placement in patients with no associated biliary obstruction. Prospective studies are needed.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in ileocolonic Crohn's disease: validation of quantitative index of activity

OBJECTIVES

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows accurate assessment of Crohn's disease (CD), but requires gadolinium injection. Diffusion-weighted (DW)-MRI yields comparable performances in small bowel CD. We compared the accuracy of DW-MR enterocolonography (MREC) and the magnetic resonance index of activity (MaRIA), and performed an external validation of the Clermont score in assessing inflammation in CD.

METHODS

This was an observational prospective study of a single-center cohort. A total of 130 CD patients underwent consecutively MREC with gadolinium injection and DWI sequences between July 2011 and December 2012.

RESULTS

Of the 848 evaluated segments (small bowel=352, colon/rectum=496), 175 (20.6%) were active (small bowel=111, colon/rectum=64) defined as MaRIA ≥7. Using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, we determined an apparent coefficient of diffusion (ADC) threshold of 1.9 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s that yielded a sensitivity and a specificity in discriminating active from nonactive CD of 96.9% and 98.1%, respectively, for the colon/rectum, and 85.9% and 81.6%, respectively, for the ileum. ADC was better correlated to MaRIA ≥7 than related contrast enhancement obtained with injected sequences (P<0.001). The Clermont score (=1.646 × bowel thickness-1.321 × ADC+5.613 × edema+8.306 × ulceration+5.039) was highly correlated with the MaRIA (rho=0.99) in ileal CD but not in colonic CD (rho <0.80). Interobserver agreement was high with regard to ADC measurement (correlation >0.9, P<0.001, and concordance >0.9, P<0001).

CONCLUSIONS

DW-MREC is a reliable tool to assess inflammation in colonic (ADC) and ileal (Clermont score) CD and its use in daily practice would avoid gadolinium injection.

Generation and analysis of soybean plastid transformants expressing Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protoxin

We describe the generation of fertile and homoplasmic soybean plastid transformants, expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protoxin Cry1Ab. Transgenes were targeted in the intergenic region of Glycine max plastome, between the rps12/7 and trnV genes and selection was carried out using the aadA gene encoding spectinomycin resistance. Molecular analysis confirmed the integration of the cry1Ab and aadA expression cassettes at the expected location in the soybean plastome, and the transmission of the transgenes to the next generation. Western blot analyses showed that the Cry1Ab protoxin is highly expressed in leaves, stems and seeds, but not in roots. Its expression confers strong insecticidal activity to the generated transgenic soybean, as exemplified with velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis).

The smaller helical repeat of poly(dA) . poly(dT) relative to DNA may reflect the wedge property of the dA . dT base pair

A simple geometric approach is described which suggests that the smaller helical repeat of the homopolymer poly(dA) . poly(dT) relative to DNA (10.1 against 10.6 base pairs/turn) quantitatively reflects the property of the dA . dT base pair to behave like a wedge, of angle 11 degrees, pointing towards dA.