Development and validation of a faecal immunochemical test-based model in the work-up of patients with iron deficiency anaemia.

Objective: In patients with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), the diagnostic yield of gastroscopy and colonoscopy (bidirectional endoscopy) in detecting neoplastic lesions is low. This study aimed to develop and validate a faecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based model to optimise the work-up of patients with IDA. Methods: Outpatients with IDA were enrolled in a prospective, multicentre study from April 2016 to October 2019. One FIT was performed before bidirectional endoscopy. Significant gastrointestinal lesions were recorded and a combined model developed with variables that were independently associated with significant colorectal lesions in the multivariate analysis. The model cut-off was selected to provide a sensitivity of at least 95% for colorectal cancer (CRC) detection, and its performance was compared to different FIT cut-offs. The data set was randomly split into two groups (developed and validation cohorts). An online calculator was developed for clinical application. Results: The development and validation cohorts included 373 and 160 patients, respectively. The developed model included FIT value, age, and sex. In the development and validation cohorts, a model cut-off of 0.1375 provided a negative predictive value of 98.1 and 96.7% for CRC and 90.7 and 88.3% for significant colorectal lesions, respectively. This combined model reduced the rate of missed significant colorectal lesions compared to FIT alone and could have avoided more than one-fourth of colonoscopies. Conclusion: The FIT-based combined model developed in this study may serve as a useful diagnostic tool to triage IDA patients for early endoscopic referral, resulting in considerable reduction of unnecessary colonoscopies.

Sex-Related Differences in the Phenotype and Course of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: SEXEII Study of ENEIDA.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The impact of patient sex on the presentation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been poorly evaluated. Our aims were to assess potential disparities in IBD phenotype and progression between sexes. METHODS: We performed an observational multicenter study that included patients with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis from the Spanish ENEIDA registry. Data extraction was conducted in July 2021. RESULTS: A total of 51,595 patients with IBD were included, 52% were males and 25,947 had CD. The median follow-up period after diagnosis was 9 years in males and 10 years in females. In CD, female sex was an independent risk factor for medium disease onset (age, 17-40 y) (relative risk ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.31-1.62), later disease onset (age, >40 y) (relative risk ratio, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.38-1.73), exclusive colonic involvement (odds ratio, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.14-1.34), inflammatory behavior (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.07-1.21), and extraintestinal manifestations (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.38-1.59). However, female sex was a protective factor for upper gastrointestinal involvement (odds ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.79-0.90), penetrating behavior (odds ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.70-0.82), perianal disease (odds ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.71-0.82), and complications (odds ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.66-0.80). In ulcerative colitis, female sex was an independent risk factor for extraintestinal manifestations (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.26-1.61). However, female sex was an independent protective factor for disease onset from age 40 onward (relative risk ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.87), left-sided colonic involvement (relative risk ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.67-0.78), extensive colonic involvement (relative risk ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.55-0.64), and abdominal surgery (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.69-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: There is sexual dimorphism in IBD. The patient's sex should be taken into account in the clinical management of the disease.

Efficacy and safety of biological treatment for inflammatory bowel disease in elderly patients: Results from a GETECCU cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Biological therapies used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have shown to be effective and safe, although these results were obtained from studies involving mostly a young population, who are generally included in clinical trials. The aim of our study was to determine the efficacy and safety of the different biological treatments in the elderly population. METHODS: Multicenter study was carried out in the GETECCU group. Patients diagnosed with IBD and aged over 65 years at the time of initiating biological therapy (infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab, ustekinumab or vedolizumab) were retrospectively included. Among the patients included, clinical response was assessed after drug induction (12 weeks of treatment) and at 52 weeks. Patients' colonoscopy data in week 52 were assessment, where available. Regarding complications, development of oncological events during follow-up and infectious processes occurring during biological treatment were collected (excluding bowel infection by cytomegalovirus). RESULTS: A total of 1090 patients were included. After induction, at approximately 12-14 weeks of treatment, 419 patients (39.6%) were in clinical remission, 502 patients (47.4%) had responded without remission and 137 patients (12.9%) had no response. At 52 weeks of treatment 442 patients (57.1%) had achieved clinical remission, 249 patients had responded without remission (32.2%) and 53 patients had no response to the treatment (6.8%). Before 52 weeks, 129 patients (14.8%) had discontinued treatment due to inefficacy, this being significantly higher (p<0.0001) for Golimumab - 9 patients (37.5%) - compared to the other biological treatments analyzed. With respect to tumor development, an oncological event was observed in 74 patients (6.9%): 30 patients (8%) on infliximab, 23 (7.14%) on adalimumab, 3 (11.1%) on golimumab, 10 (6.4%) on ustekinumab, and 8 (3.8%) on vedolizumab. The incidence was significantly lower (p=0.04) for the vedolizumab group compared to other treatments. As regards infections, these occurred in 160 patients during treatment (14.9%), with no differences between the different biologicals used (p=0.61): 61 patients (19.4%) on infliximab, 39 (12.5%) on adalimumab, 5 (17.8%) on golimumab, 22 (14.1%) on ustekinumab, and 34 (16.5%) on vedolizumab. CONCLUSIONS: Biological drug therapies have response rates in elderly patients similar to those described in the general population, Golimumab was the drug that was discontinued most frequently due to inefficacy. In our experience, tumor development was more frequent in patients who used anti-TNF therapies compared to other targets, although its incidence was generally low and that this is in line with younger patients based on previous literature.

Effectiveness and Safety of Ustekinumab in Elderly Patients with Crohn's Disease: Real World Evidence From the ENEIDA Registry.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Clinical trials and real-life studies with ustekinumab in Crohn's disease [CD] have revealed a good efficacy and safety profile. However, these data are scarcely available in elderly patients. Therefore, we aim to assess the effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab in elderly patients with CD. METHODS: Elderly patients [>60 years old] from the prospectively maintained ENEIDA registry treated with ustekinumab due to CD were included. Every patient was matched with two controls under 60 years of age, according to anti-tumour necrosis factor use and smoking habit. Values for the Harvey-Bradshaw Index [HBI], endoscopic activity, C-reactive protein [CRP] and faecal calprotectin [FC] were recorded at baseline and at weeks 16, 32 and 54. RESULTS: In total, 648 patients were included, 212 of whom were elderly. Effectiveness was similar between young and elderly patients during the follow-up. Steroid-free remission was similar at week 16 [54.6 vs 51.4%, p = 0.20], 32 [53.0% vs 54.5%, p = 0.26] and 54 [57.8% vs 51.1%, p = 0.21]. Persistence of ustekinumab as maintenance therapy was similar in both age groups [log-rank test; p = 0.91]. There was no difference in the rate of adverse effects [14.2% vs 11.2%, p = 0.350], including severe infections [7.1% vs 7.3%, p = 1.00], except for the occurrence of de novo neoplasms, which was higher in older patients [0.7% vs 4.3%, p = 0.003]. CONCLUSIONS: Ustekinumab is as effective in elderly patients with CD as it is in non-elderly patients. The safety profile also seems to be similar except for a higher rate of de novo neoplasms, probably related to the age of the elderly patients.