The gut-brain axis: Correlation of choroid plexus volume and permeability with inflammatory biomarkers in Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: The dysregulation of the gut-brain axis in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases can cause neuro-psychological disturbances, but the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. The choroid plexus (CP) maintains brain homeostasis and nourishment through the secretion and clearance of cerebrospinal fluid. Recent research has demonstrated the existence of a CP vascular barrier in mice which is modulated during intestinal inflammation. This study investigates possible correlations between CP modifications and inflammatory activity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: In this prospective study, 17 patients with CD underwent concomitant abdominal and brain 3 T MRI. The volume and permeability of CP were compared with levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), fecal calprotectin (FC), sMARIA and SES-CD scores. RESULTS: The CP volume was negatively correlated with CRP levels (R = -0.643, p-value = 0.024) and FC (R = -0.571, p-value = 0.050). DCE metrics normalized by CP volume were positively correlated with CRP (K-trans: R = 0.587, p-value = 0.045; Vp: R = 0.706, p-value = 0.010; T1: R = 0.699, p-value = 0.011), and FC (Vp: R = 0.606, p-value = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Inflammatory activity in patients with CD is associated with changes in CP volume and permeability, thus supporting the hypothesis that intestinal inflammation could affect the brain through the modulation of CP vascular barrier also in humans.

Rates of Adverse Events in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis Undergoing Colectomy During Treatment With Tofacitinib vs Biologics: A Multicenter Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) receiving immunosuppressive drugs are at substantial risk of colectomy. We aimed to assess the risk of postoperative complications of tofacitinib exposure before colectomy in comparison with biologics. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective, observational study was conducted in patients with UC who underwent total colectomy for medically refractory disease, exposed to tofacitinib or a biologic before surgery. Primary outcome was the occurrence of any complication within 30 (early) and 90 (late) days after surgery. Secondary outcomes were the occurrence of infections, sepsis, surgical site complications, venous thromboembolic events (VTE), hospital readmissions, and redo surgery within the same timepoints. RESULTS: Three hundred one patients (64 tofacitinib, 162 anti-tumor necrosis factor-α agents, 54 vedolizumab, and 21 ustekinumab) were included. No significant differences were reported in any outcome, except for a higher rate of early VTE with anti-tumor necrosis factor-α agents ( P = 0.047) and of late VTE with vedolizumab ( P = 0.03). In the multivariate analysis, drug class was not associated with a higher risk of any early and late complications. Urgent colectomy increased the risk of any early (odds ratio [OR] 1.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06-3.48) complications, early hospital readmission (OR 4.79, 95% CI 1.12-20.58), and early redo surgery (OR 7.49, 95% CI 1.17-47.85). A high steroid dose increased the risk of any early complications (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.08-3.57), early surgical site complications (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.01-4.09), and early redo surgery (OR 7.52, 95% CI 1.42-39.82). Laparoscopic surgery decreased the risk of any early complications (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.29-1.00), early infections (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.85), and late hospital readmissions (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.12-1.00). DISCUSSION: Preoperative tofacitinib treatment demonstrated a postoperative safety profile comparable with biologics in patients with UC undergoing colectomy.

Management of Clostridioides difficile infection: an Italian Delphi consensus.

BACKGROUND: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), a leading cause of nosocomial deaths, is a microbiota-mediated disease. As such, the use of broader spectrum antibiotics, such as vancomycin and metronidazole, can prime the gastrointestinal tract to become more prone to CDI recurrences. Fidaxomicin, a narrow-spectrum antibiotic, has been demonstrated to be superior in preventing recurrence and in preserving the intestinal microbiota; however, widespread employment worldwide has been hindered due to high acquisition costs. OBJECTIVES: To integrate the currently available guidelines on the management of CDI and to shed light on the timeliest employment of fidaxomicin. METHODS: An expert panel was gathered to obtain consensus using Delphi methodology on a series of statements regarding the management of CDI and on appropriate antibiotic use. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on 21 of the 25 statements addressing the management of CDI. CONCLUSIONS: Delphi methodology was used to achieve consensus on the management of CDI, on the identification of patients at risk of recurrences or severe infection, and on the most appropriate use of fidaxomicin, with the final aim of fostering clinical practice application of treatment algorithms proposed by previous guidelines, in absolute synergy. It could be an important tool to promote more appropriate and cost-effective CDI treatments in European settings with limited resources, like Italy.

An international multicentre study of SwiTching from Intravenous to subcutaneous inflixiMab and vEdolizumab in inflammatory bowel diseases: The TIME study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Subcutaneous (SC) formulations of infliximab (IFX) and vedolizumab (VDZ) are approved for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of switching from intravenous (IV) to SC formulations of IFX and VDZ in IBDs. METHODS: This multicentre, retrospective study collected data of adult patients with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) switched to SC IFX or VDZ. The primary endpoint was clinical remission at 12 months stratified based on timing of switch. A composite endpoint consisting of therapy discontinuation, reverse-switch, need for steroids, and drug optimization was evaluated. A multivariate analysis investigated the association between patients' characteristics and outcomes. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-one patients (59% UC, 53% male, mean age 44 ± 15 years, 68% IFX) from 13 centres were included. The switch occurred at Week 6 in a third of cases (36%). Median time to switch was 13 months. Most patients switched to SC IFX and VDZ were in clinical remission at 3 (87% and 77%), 6 (86% and 83%) and 12 (63% and 60%) months. In the multivariate analysis, there was no difference in clinical remission rate at 12 months; however, patients switched at Week 6 had a higher rate of experiencing any therapeutic changes at 3 (false discovery rate (FDR) = .002), 6 (FDR <1 × 10-10) or 12 months (FDR = .08). Clinical disease activity at baseline (only in UC) (FDR = .07) and previous exposure to biologics (FDR = .001) were risk factors for composite endpoint at 6 and 12 months. CONCLUSION: SC IFX and VDZ are effective in daily clinical practice in IBD patients. Switching patients in remission reduces the risk of negative outcomes.

Comparative efficacy and safety of subcutaneous infliximab and vedolizumab in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis included in randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: While indirect comparison of infliximab (IFX) and vedolizumab (VDZ) in adults with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) shows that IFX has better effectiveness during induction, and comparable efficacy during maintenance treatment, comparative data specific to subcutaneous (SC) IFX (i.e., CT-P13 SC) versus VDZ are limited. AIM: Pooled analysis of randomised studies to compare efficacy and safety with IFX SC and VDZ in moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: Parallel-group, randomised studies evaluating IFX SC and VDZ in patients with moderate-to-severe CD or UC were identified. Eligible studies reported ≥ 1 prespecified outcome of interest at Week 6 (reflecting treatment during the induction phase) and/or at 1 year (Weeks 50-54; reflecting treatment during the maintenance phase). Prespecified efficacy and safety outcomes considered in this pooled analysis included the proportions of patients achieving disease-specific clinical responses, clinical remission, or discontinuing due to lack of efficacy, and the proportions of patients experiencing adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, infections, serious infections, or discontinuing due to AEs. Data from multiple studies or study arms were extracted and pooled using a random-effect model; comparative analyses were performed separately for patients with CD and UC. RESULTS: We identified three eligible CD trials and four eligible UC trials that assigned over 1200 participants per disease cohort to either IFX SC or VDZ. In patients with CD, intravenous induction therapy with IFX demonstrated better efficacy (non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) compared with VDZ; during the maintenance phase, IFX SC showed numerically better efficacy (overlapping 95% CIs) than VDZ. A lower proportion of IFX SC-treated patients discontinued therapy due to lack of efficacy over 1 year. In patients with UC, efficacy profiles were similar with IFX SC and VDZ during the induction and maintenance phases, and a lower proportion of IFX SC-treated patients discontinued therapy due to lack of efficacy over 1 year. In both cohorts, safety profiles for IFX SC and VDZ were generally comparable during 1 year. CONCLUSION: IFX SC demonstrated better efficacy than VDZ in patients with CD, and similar efficacy to VDZ in patients with UC; 1-year safety was comparable with IFX SC and VDZ.

Optimising surgical anastomosis in ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease with respect to recurrence and functionality: two international parallel randomized controlled trials comparing handsewn (END-to-end or Kono-S) to stapled anastomosis (HAND2END and the End2End STUDIES).

BACKGROUND: The most common intestinal operation in Crohn's disease (CD) is an ileocolic resection. Despite optimal surgical and medical management, recurrent disease after surgery is common. Different types of anastomoses with respect to configuration and construction can be made after resection for example, handsewn (end-to-end and Kono-S) and stapled (side-to-side). The various types of anastomoses might affect endoscopic recurrence and its assessment, the functional outcome, and costs. The objective of the present study is to compare the three types of anastomoses with respect to endoscopic recurrence at 6 months, gastrointestinal function, and health care consumption. METHODS: This is a randomized controlled multicentre superiority trial, allocating patients either to side-to-side stapled anastomosis as advised in current guidelines or a handsewn anastomoses (an end-to-end or Kono-S). It is hypothesized that handsewn anastomoses do better than stapled, and end-to-end perform better than the saccular Kono-S. Two international studies with a similar setup will be conducted mainly in the Netherlands (End2End) and Italy (HAND2END). Patients diagnosed with CD, aged over 16 years in the Netherlands and 18 years in Italy requiring (re)resection of the (neo)terminal ileum are eligible. The first part of the study compares the two handsewn anastomoses with the stapled anastomosis. To detect a clinically relevant difference of 25% in endoscopic recurrence, a total of 165 patients will be needed in the Netherlands and 189 patients in Italy. Primary outcome is postoperative endoscopic recurrence (defined as Rutgeerts score ≥ i2b) at 6 months. Secondary outcomes are postoperative morbidity, gastrointestinal function, quality of life (QoL) and costs. DISCUSSION: The research question addresses a knowledge gap within the general practice elucidating which type of anastomosis is superior in terms of endoscopic and clinical recurrence, functionality, QoL and health care consumption. The results of the proposed study might change current practice in contrast to what is advised by the guidelines. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05246917 for HAND2END and NCT05578235 for End2End ( http://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ ).

The first international Rome consensus conference on gut microbiota and faecal microbiota transplantation in inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Several randomised clinical trials (RCTs) performing faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly for ulcerative colitis, have recently been published, but with major variations in study design. These include differences in administered dose, route and frequency of delivery, type of placebo and evaluated endpoints. Although the overall outcomes appear to be promising, they are highly dependent on both donor and recipient factors. OBJECTIVE: To develop concensus-based statements and recommendations for the evaluation, management and potential treatment of IBD using FMT in order to move towards standardised practices. DESIGN: An international panel of experts convened several times to generate evidence-based guidelines by performing a deep evaluation of currently available and/or published data. Twenty-five experts in IBD, immunology and microbiology collaborated in different working groups to provide statements on the following key issues related to FMT in IBD: (A) pathogenesis and rationale, (B) donor selection and biobanking, (C) FMT practices and (D) consideration of future studies and perspectives. Statements were evaluated and voted on by all members using an electronic Delphi process, culminating in a plenary consensus conference and generation of proposed guidelines. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our group has provided specific statements and recommendations, based on best available evidence, with the end goal of providing guidance and general criteria required to promote FMT as a recognised strategy for the treatment of IBD.

Comparative Risk of Serious Infections With Biologic Agents and Oral Small Molecules in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Safety is a key consideration when choosing advanced therapies (biologic agents and oral small-molecule inhibitors/modulators) in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the risk of serious infections with advanced therapies in active comparator studies. METHODS: Through a systematic search until February 28, 2022, we included 20 head-to-head studies comparing risk of serious infections with tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) antagonists, vedolizumab, ustekinumab, tofacitinib, filgotinib, and ozanimod in patients with IBD. We performed random-effects meta-analysis comparing different advanced therapies. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the risk of serious infections between vedolizumab vs TNFα antagonists in all patients with IBD (17 cohorts: odds ratio [OR], 0.84; 95% CI, 0.68-1.04), with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 37%); on subgroup analysis, vedolizumab was associated with a lower risk of serious infections in patients with ulcerative colitis (11 cohorts: OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.56-0.83; I2 = 0%), but not in Crohn's disease (CD) (9 cohorts: OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.78-1.35; I2 = 42%). Age, sex, prior biologic exposure, and use of biologic monotherapy did not influence this association. In patients with CD, ustekinumab was associated with a lower risk of serious infections vs TNFα antagonists (3 cohorts: OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.25-0.93; I2 = 16%) and vs vedolizumab (3 cohorts: OR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.17-0.93; I2 = 67%). Few studies compared other advanced therapies. CONCLUSIONS: Vedolizumab may offer net benefit over TNFα antagonists in patients with ulcerative colitis, but not in CD. Ustekinumab may offer net benefit over TNFα antagonists and vedolizumab in patients with CD.

HLA-DQA1∗05 Genotype and Immunogenicity to Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Antagonists: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Identifying patients at high risk of immunogenicity is important when selecting tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonists in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). We evaluated the association HLA-DQA1∗05 genotype and risk of immunogenicity with TNF-α antagonists. METHODS: Through a systematic review through July 14, 2022, we identified studies in patients with IMIDs treated with TNF-α antagonists, which reported the risk of immunogenicity and/or secondary loss of response in patients with HLA-DQA1∗05 variants. Primary outcome was risk of immunogenicity. We performed random effects meta-analysis and used GRADE to appraise certainty of evidence. RESULTS: On meta-analysis of 13 studies (3756 patients; median follow-up, 12 months; 41% with variants), HLA-DQA1∗05 variants were associated with 75% higher risk of immunogenicity compared with non-carriers (relative risk, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.37-2.25) with considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 62%) (low certainty evidence). Positive and negative predictive values of HLA-DQA1∗05 variants for predicting immunogenicity were 30% and 80%, respectively. Proactive therapeutic drug monitoring, but not concomitant use of IMMs, IMIDs, and TNF-α antagonist-type, modified this association. Patients with HLA-DQA1∗05 variants experienced 2.2-fold higher risk of secondary loss of response (6 cohorts; relative risk, 2.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.67-3.00; I2 = 0%) (moderate certainty evidence). CONCLUSION: Variants in HLA-DQA1∗05 are associated with an increased risk in immunogenicity and secondary loss of response in patients with IMIDs treated with TNF-α antagonists. However, the positive and negative predictive value is moderate, and decisions on concomitant use of IMMs to prevent immunogenicity should be individualized based on all factors that influence drug clearance.

Cardiovascular Safety of Ozanimod in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis: True North and Open-Label Extension Analyses.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Evaluating cardiovascular safety of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators is warranted due to S1P receptor expression on cardiomyocytes and vascular endothelial cells. This analysis reports the cardiovascular safety of ozanimod, an S1P receptor modulator, in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis from the phase 3 True North (TN) and open-label extension (OLE). METHODS: All patients who received ozanimod in TN (n = 796) and all eligible TN patients who entered the OLE (n = 823) were included. Cardiovascular-related adverse events were evaluated in patients with up to 146 weeks of ozanimod exposure (2219 patient-years), which included 52 weeks during TN. RESULTS: On TN day 1, first-dose ozanimod resulted in a 0.2 beats per minute mean decrease in heart rate from pretreatment to hour 6; 2 patients experienced bradycardia, which resolved without treatment modification. Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure increases of 5.1 and 2.2 mm Hg, respectively, were observed at TN week 52. No second-degree Mobitz type II atrioventricular block events were reported; 1 third-degree atrioventricular block unrelated to ozanimod occurred in the OLE. Cardiac and vascular treatment-emergent adverse events were infrequent (3.8% [31 of 823] and 8.5% [70 of 823]); no ozanimod-related cardiovascular deaths occurred. The incidences of deep-vein thrombosis (0.2%; 2 of 823), pulmonary embolism (0.2%; 2 of 823), and ischemic stroke (0.4%; 3 of 823) in the OLE were low. CONCLUSIONS: No new cardiovascular safety signals were identified, consistent with findings from previous ozanimod studies. There were few major adverse cardiovascular events or thromboembolic events, which were unrelated or unlikely related to ozanimod. Ozanimod has a well-tolerated cardiovascular safety profile when prescribed in accordance with the label. Clinical trial registry website and trial numbers: ClinicalTrials.gov numbers: NCT02435992 and NCT02531126.

I-CARE, a European Prospective Cohort Study Assessing Safety and Effectiveness of Biologics in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is a need to evaluate the benefit-risk ratio of current therapies in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients to provide the best quality of care. The primary objective of I-CARE (IBD Cancer and serious infections in Europe) was to assess prospectively safety concerns in IBD, with specific focus on the risk of cancer/lymphoma and serious infections in patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor and other biologic monotherapy as well as in combination with immunomodulators. METHODS: I-CARE was designed as a European prospective longitudinal observational multicenter cohort study to include patients with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or IBD unclassified established at least 3 months prior to enrollment. RESULTS: A total of 10,206 patients were enrolled between March 2016 and April 2019, including 6169 (60.4%) patients with Crohn's disease, 3853 (37.8%) with ulcerative colitis, and 184 (1.8%) with a diagnosis of IBD unclassified. Thirty-two percent of patients were receiving azathioprine/thiopurines, 4.6% 6-mercaptopurine, and 3.2% methotrexate at study entry. At inclusion, 47.3% of patients were treated with an anti-tumor necrosis factor agent, 8.8% with vedolizumab, and 3.4% with ustekinumab. Roughly one-quarter of patients (26.8%) underwent prior IBD-related surgery. Sixty-six percent of patients had been previously treated with systemic steroids. Three percent of patients had a medical history of cancer prior to inclusion and 1.1% had a history of colonic, esophageal, or uterine cervix high-grade dysplasia. CONCLUSIONS: I-CARE is an ongoing investigator-initiated observational European prospective cohort study that will provide unique information on the long-term benefits and risks of biological therapies in IBD patients. (EudraCT, Number: 2014-004728-23; ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT02377258).

Higher vs Standard Adalimumab Induction and Maintenance Dosing Regimens for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: SERENE UC Trial Results.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: SERENE UC (Study of a Novel Approach to Induction and Maintenance Dosing With Adalimumab in Patients With Moderate to Severe Ulcerative Colitis) evaluated the efficacy of higher adalimumab induction and maintenance dose regimens in patients with ulcerative colitis. METHODS: This phase 3, double-blind, randomized trial included induction and maintenance studies, with a main study (ex-Japan) and Japan substudy. Eligible patients (18-75 years, full Mayo score 6-12, centrally read endoscopy subscore 2-3) were randomized 3:2 to higher induction regimen (adalimumab 160 mg at weeks 0, 1, 2, and 3) or standard induction regimen (160 mg at week 0 and 80 mg at week 2); all received 40 mg at weeks 4 and 6. At week 8, all patients were rerandomized 2:2:1 (main study) to 40 mg every week (ew), 40 mg every other week (eow), or exploratory therapeutic drug monitoring; or 1:1 (Japan substudy) to 40 mg ew or 40 mg eow maintenance regimens. RESULTS: In the main study, 13.3% vs 10.9% of patients receiving the higher induction regimen vs standard induction regimen achieved clinical remission (full Mayo score ≤2 with no subscore >1) at week 8 (induction primary end point; P = .265); among week-8 responders, 39.5% vs 29.0% receiving 40 mg ew vs 40 mg eow achieved clinical remission at week 52 (maintenance primary end point; P = .069). In the integrated (main + Japan) population, 41.1% vs 30.1% of week-8 responders receiving 40 mg ew vs 40 mg eow achieved clinical remission at week 52 (nominal P = .045). Safety profiles were comparable between dosing regimens. CONCLUSION: Although primary end points were not met, a >10% absolute difference in clinical remission was demonstrated with higher adalimumab maintenance dosing. Higher dosing regimens were generally well tolerated and consistent with the known safety profile of adalimumab in ulcerative colitis. CLINICALTRIALS: gov, Number: NCT002209456.

Higher vs Standard Adalimumab Induction Dosing Regimens and Two Maintenance Strategies: Randomized SERENE CD Trial Results.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Dose-optimization strategies for biologic therapies in Crohn's disease (CD) are not well established. The SERENE CD (Study of a Novel Approach to Induction and Maintenance Dosing With Adalimumab in Patients With Moderate to Severe Crohn's Disease) trial evaluated higher vs standard adalimumab induction dosing and clinically adjusted (CA) vs therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) maintenance strategies in patients with moderately to severely active CD. METHODS: In this phase 3, randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial, eligible adults (Crohn's Disease Activity Index score of 220-450, endoscopic evidence of mucosal inflammation, and previous failure of standard therapies) were randomized to higher induction regimen (adalimumab 160 mg at weeks 0, 1, 2, and 3; n = 308) or standard induction regimen (adalimumab 160 mg at week 0 and 80 mg at week 2; n = 206) followed by 40 mg every other week from week 4 onward. Co-primary end points included clinical remission at week 4 and endoscopic response at week 12. At week 12, patients were re-randomized to maintenance therapy optimized by Crohn's Disease Activity Index and C-reactive protein (CA; n = 92) or serum adalimumab concentrations and/or clinical criteria (TDM; n = 92); exploratory end points were evaluated at week 56. RESULTS: Similar proportions of patients receiving higher induction regimen and standard induction regimen achieved clinical remission at week 4 (44% in both; P = .939) and endoscopic response at week 12 (43% vs 39%, respectively, P = .462). Week 56 efficacy was similar between CA and TDM. Safety profiles were comparable between dosing regimens. CONCLUSIONS: Higher induction regimen was not superior to standard induction regimen, and CA and TDM maintenance strategies were similarly efficacious. Adalimumab therapy was well tolerated, and no new safety concerns were identified. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT02065570).

Characteristics, clinical outcomes and patient-reported outcomes of patients with ulcerative colitis receiving tofacitinib: a real-world survey in the United States and five European countries.

BACKGROUND: To describe variations in treatment patterns, clinical outcomes, patient-reported outcomes (PRO), and physician and patient satisfaction in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC) treated with tofacitinib in a real-world setting. METHODS: Data were drawn from the Adelphi UC Disease Specific Programme™, a point-in-time survey of physicians and their consulting patients in the US and Europe. For inclusion in this analysis, gastroenterologists completed medical record forms for the next seven consecutive consulting patients with confirmed UC, plus a further two patient record forms for patients treated with tofacitinib. Those same patients then completed a patient-reported questionnaire. RESULTS: Gastroenterologists (n = 340) provided data for 2049 patients with UC, including 642 patients receiving tofacitinib. Physicians' most frequent reason for choosing tofacitinib was overall efficacy (71.3% of patients). The proportion of patients in remission increased with length of treatment, from 13.7% at [0, 4) weeks to 68.3% at [52+] weeks. Both physicians and patients reported that the Mayo components of stool frequency and blood in stool were reduced with time on treatment. Improvement in symptoms (bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain/cramps, urgency, rectal bleeding, fatigue/tiredness) was reported in the first weeks of treatment, and increased with time. At week [52+], mean score reductions from treatment initiation to current in overall symptom severity, pain, and fatigue were 2.2 (to a current mean score of 1.1), 2.2 (to 0.9), and 2.1 (to 1.0), respectively. Comparing patients at weeks [0, 4) and [52+] (all PROs, p < 0.0001), the increase in EQ-5D-5L index total score was 0.29 points and in SIBDQ total score was 20.5 points; percent reductions in WPAI absenteeism was 34.4%, presenteeism 26.8%, overall work impairment 40.9% and activity impairment was 28.3%. These changes reached the thresholds for minimally clinically important differences. The majority of physicians (91.9%) and patients (93.5%) were satisfied with tofacitinib at week [52+]. CONCLUSION: Patients with moderate-to-severe UC treated with tofacitinib show considerable improvement in symptoms and quality of life from tofacitinib initiation to one year and beyond, with high rates of remission. Physicians and patients report satisfaction with UC control at recommended doses in a mostly biologic experienced population.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: comparison between the first and second pandemic waves.

BACKGROUND: In Italy, the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection peaked in April and November 2020, defining two pandemic waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study compared the characteristics and outcomes of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and SARS-CoV-2 infections between pandemic waves. METHODS: Observational longitudinal study of IBD patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients with established diagnoses of IBD and of SARS-CoV-2 infection were consecutively enrolled in two periods: (i) first wave, from 1 March 2020 to 31 May 2020; and (ii) second wave, from 15 September to 15 December 2020. RESULTS: We enrolled 937 IBD patients (219 in the first wave, 718 in the second wave). Patients of the first wave were older (mean ± SD: 46.3 ± 16.2 vs. 44.1 ± 15.4 years, p = 0.06), more likely to have ulcerative colitis (58.0% vs. 44.4%, p < 0.001) and comorbidities (48.9% vs. 38.9%; p < 0.01), and more frequently residing in Northern Italy (73.1% vs. 46.0%, p < 0.001) than patients of the second wave. There were no significant differences between pandemic waves in sex (male: 54.3% vs. 53.3%, p = 0.82) or frequency of active IBD (44.3% vs. 39.0%, p = 0.18). The rates of negative outcomes were significantly higher in the first than second wave: pneumonia (27.8% vs. 11.7%, p < 0.001), hospital admission (27.4% vs. 9.7%, p < 0.001), ventilatory support (11.9% vs. 5.4%, p < 0.003) and death (5.5% vs. 1.8%, p < 0.007). CONCLUSION: Between the first and second SARS-CoV-2 pandemic waves, demographic, clinical and geographical features of IBD patients were different as were the symptoms and outcomes of infection. These differences are likely due to the different epidemiological situations and diagnostic possibilities between the two waves.

Improvements in Disease Activity Partially Mediate the Effect of Tofacitinib Treatment on Generic and Disease-Specific Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: Data from the OCTAVE Program.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) often report impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Tofacitinib is an oral small molecule Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of UC. In addition to previous demonstrations of improved clinical measures (e.g., Mayo score), tofacitinib has been shown to improve HRQoL in patients with UC. This analysis explored the interrelationships among tofacitinib treatment, HRQoL, and disease activity (measured using Mayo subscores) using mediation modeling. METHODS: Data were collected from two 8-week induction studies (OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2) in patients with moderate to severe UC treated with tofacitinib or placebo. Two mediation models were specified. First, Mayo subscores were mediators between the binary treatment variable (tofacitinib vs. placebo) and the eight Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) domain scores as outcomes. Second, the four Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) domain scores served as outcomes. Both models used data collected at week 8. RESULTS: Overall, 1,073 and 1,079 patients were included in the SF-36- and IBDQ-based models, respectively. For all SF-36 domains, improvements in Mayo subscores were estimated to explain 65.6% (bodily pain) to 92.9% (mental health) of the total treatment effect on SF-36 domain scores (all p < 0.05). For all IBDQ domains, improvements in Mayo subscores explained 71.6% (systemic symptoms) to 84.7% (emotional function) of the total treatment effect (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Mayo scores and Mayo subscores are significant but incomplete contributors to tofacitinib's effect on HRQoL in patients with moderate to severe UC. CLINICALTRIALS: gov: NCT01465763; NCT01458951.

Cytokines in Spondyloarthritis and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Implications.

Spondyloarthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic immune disorders of the joints and the gut that often coexist in the same patient, increasing the burden of each disorder, worsening patients' quality of life, and influencing therapeutic strategies. Genetic predisposition, environmental triggers, microbiome features, immune cell trafficking, and soluble factors such as cytokines contribute to the pathogenesis of both articular and intestinal inflammation. Most of the molecular targeted biological therapies developed over the last two decades were based on evidence that specific cytokines may be involved in these immune diseases. Despite pro-inflammatory cytokine pathways sharing the pathogenesis of both articular and gut diseases (i.e., tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-23), several other cytokines (i.e., interleukin-17) may be differently involved in the tissue damage process, depending on the specific disease and the organ involved in inflammation, making difficult the identification of a therapeutic plan that is efficacious for both inflammatory manifestations. In this narrative review, we comprehensively summarize the current knowledge on cytokine involvement in spondyloarthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases, underlining similarities and differences among their pathogenetic pathways; finally, we provide an overview of current and potential future treatment strategies to simultaneously target both articular and gut immune disorders.

Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Colitis: From Pathogenesis to Management.

The advent of immunotherapy, specifically of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), for the treatment of solid tumors has deeply transformed therapeutic algorithms in medical oncology. Approximately one-third of patients treated with ICIs may de velop immune-related adverse events, and the gastrointestinal tract is often affected by different grades of mucosal inflammation. Checkpoint inhibitors colitis (CIC) presents with watery or bloody diarrhea and, in the case of severe symptoms, requires ICIs discontinuation. The pathogenesis of CIC is multifactorial and still partially unknown: anti-tumor activity that collaterally effects the colonic tissue and the upregulation of specific systemic inflammatory pathways (i.e., CD8+ cytotoxic and CD4+ T lymphocytes) are mainly involved. Many questions remain regarding treatment timing and options, and biological treatment, especially with anti-TNF alpha, can be offered to these patients with the aim of rapidly resuming oncological therapies. CIC shares similar pathogenesis and aspects with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the use of ICI in IBD patients is under evaluation. This review aims to summarize the pathogenetic mechanism underlying CIC and to discuss the current evidenced-based management options, including the role of biological therapy, emphasizing the relevant clinical impact on CIC and the need for prompt recognition and treatment.

Mental Illnesses in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: mens sana in corpore sano.

Background and aims: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic disorders associated with a reduced quality of life, and patients often also suffer from psychiatric comorbidities. Overall, both mood and cognitive disorders are prevalent in chronic organic diseases, especially in the case of a strong immune component, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. Divergent data regarding the true incidence and prevalence of mental disorders in patients with IBD are available. We aimed to review the current evidence on the topic and the burden of mental illness in IBD patients, the role of the brain-gut axis in their co-existence, and its implication in an integrated clinical management. Methods: PubMed was searched to identify relevant studies investigating the gut-brain interactions and the incidence and prevalence of psychiatric disorders, especially of depression, anxiety, and cognitive dysfunction in the IBD population. Results: Among IBD patients, there is a high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, especially of anxiety and depression. Approximately 20-30% of IBD patients are affected by mood disorders and/or present with anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, it has been observed that the prevalence of mental illnesses increases in patients with active intestinal disease. Psychiatric comorbidities continue to be under-diagnosed in IBD patients and remain an unresolved issue in the management of these patients. Conclusions: Psychiatric illnesses co-occurring in IBD patients deserve acknowledgment from IBD specialists. These comorbidities highly impact the management of IBD patients and should be studied as an adjunctive therapeutic target.

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.