Granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis for the treatment of therapy-refractory chronic active ulcerative colitis.

OBJECTIVES: Current options for patients with steroid-dependent, chronic-active ulcerative colitis (UC) with insufficient response/intolerance to immunosuppressants (ISs) and/or biologics are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term outcome of granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive (GMA) apheresis (Adacolumn®) in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety five adults with steroid-dependent active UC and insufficient response/intolerance to IS and/or TNF inhibitors received 5-8 aphereses in a single induction series of ≤10 weeks. Endpoints included rates of remission (clinical activity index [CAI] ≤ 4) at weeks 24 and 48. RESULTS: Of 94 patients (ITT population), remission and response rates were 34.0% and 44.7% at week 24, and 33.0% and 39.4% at week 48. Among 30 patients with prior failure of IS and biologics, 33.3% and 20.0% were in remission at weeks 24 and 48. At both weeks, 19.2% of patients achieved steroid-free remission. Sustained remission or response occurred in 27.7% of patients at 48 weeks. The cumulative colectomy rate at week 96 was 23.4%. Safety was consistent with previous findings. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms findings of the 12-week interim analysis and demonstrates that GMA apheresis provides a safe and beneficial long-term outcome for patients with chronic active UC resistant/intolerant to IS and/or TNF inhibitors.

Robotic Colonoscopy and Beyond: Insights into Modern Lower Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis and removal of colonic polyps. Delays in colonoscopy following a positive fecal immunochemical test increase the likelihood of advanced adenomas and colorectal cancer (CRC) occurrence. However, patients may refuse to undergo conventional colonoscopy (CC) due to fear of possible risks and pain or discomfort. In this regard, patients undergoing CC frequently require sedation to better tolerate the procedure, increasing the risk of deep sedation or other complications related to sedation. Accordingly, the use of CC as a first-line screening strategy for CRC is hampered by patients' reluctance due to its invasiveness and anxiety about possible discomfort. To overcome the limitations of CC and improve patients' compliance, several studies have investigated the use of robotic colonoscopy (RC) both in experimental models and in vivo. Self-propelling robotic colonoscopes have proven to be promising thanks to their peculiar dexterity and adaptability to the shape of the lower gastrointestinal tract, allowing a virtually painless examination of the colon. In some instances, when alternatives to CC and RC are required, barium enema (BE), computed tomographic colonography (CTC), and colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) may be options. However, BE and CTC are limited by the need for subsequent investigations whenever suspicious lesions are found. In this narrative review, we discussed the current clinical applications of RC, CTC, and CCE, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different endoscopic procedures, with a particular focus on RC.

A UK cost of care model for inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVES: There are an estimated 620 000 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the UK. The rising incidence of IBD combined with its incurability has significant cost implications. The aim of this cost of care model was to calculate the annual cost per adult patient of treating ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) from a NHS perspective, and to enable areas of potential cost savings to be explored. DESIGN: The cost of IBD was calculated by summing the costs of treatment, treatment side effects and disease-related complications, accounting for the proportions of patients incurring these costs. Default input values for costs, the percentage of patients receiving each treatment, and the percentage of patients experiencing treatment-related side effects or disease-related complications were determined from national sources and published literature. However, the model permitted the user to input local or alternative data. SETTING: The model was designed to be used by NHS trusts in the UK. RESULTS: Using default input values, the annual cost of treating any patient with UC was estimated to be £3084. For a patient with UC in remission, in relapse with mild-to-moderate UC or in relapse with severe UC, annual cost per patient was estimated to be £1693, £2903 and £10 760, respectively. The annual cost for any patient with CD was estimated to be £6156 (£1800 for patients in remission; £10 513 for patients in relapse). CONCLUSIONS: While IBD remains a costly condition with modest potential cost savings, this model facilitates calculation of annual costs per patient with UC and CD, and its customisability will help hospitals identify areas where savings could be made.

Granulocyte, macrophage, monocyte apheresis for refractory ulcerative proctitis.

Refractory ulcerative colitis that fails conventional intense medical treatment often leads to colectomy. Although ciclosporin and infliximab may avert colectomy in certain cases, these treatments come with substantial toxicity and may only act as a bridge to avert emergency surgery. Granulocyte monocyte/macrophage adsorption apheresis is a new treatment and has shown efficacy for refractory colitis in up to 80% of cases in a Japanese study and is apparently only associated with negligible side effects. We report a case of severe refractory proctitis destined for colectomy effectively treated with granulocyte monocyte/macrophage adsorption apheresis. After two of five sessions the patient achieved full clinical remission, which has been sustained with the addition of azathioprine for more than 1 year.

Prevalence and mechanism of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced clinical relapse in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: It has been variably suggested that nonselective NSAIDs and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 selective inhibitors aggravate or ameliorate clinical disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. We assessed the effect of these drugs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (n = 209) and the possible mechanisms. METHODS: First, patients with quiescent Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis received the non-NSAID analgesic acetaminophen (n = 26) and the conventional NSAIDs naproxen (n = 32), diclofenac (n = 29), and indomethacin (n = 22) for 4 weeks. The Harvey-Bradshaw index was used to define relapse. Second, to assess the mechanism of relapse, intestinal inflammation was quantitated (fecal calprotectin) before and during treatment (20 patients/group) with acetaminophen, naproxen (topical effect, COX-1 and -2 inhibitor), nabumetone (COX-1 and -2 inhibitor), nimesulide (selective COX-2 inhibitor), and low-dose aspirin (selective COX-1 inhibition). RESULTS: Nonselective NSAIDs were associated with a 17%-28% relapse rate within 9 days of ingestion. No patient had an early relapse on acetaminophen, nimesulide, or aspirin, whereas those on naproxen and nabumetone (20%) experienced relapse. These clinical relapses were associated with escalating intestinal inflammatory activity. CONCLUSIONS: NSAID ingestion is associated with frequent and early clinical relapse of quiescent inflammatory bowel disease, and the mechanism appears to be due to dual inhibition of the COX enzymes. Selective COX-2 inhibition with nimesulide and COX-1 inhibition with low-dose aspirin appear to be well-tolerated in the short-term.