Therapeutic Drug Monitoring-guided High-dose Infliximab for Infantile-onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Case Series.

Very early-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and specifically infantile-onset IBD patients, are characterized by high rates of extensive colonic involvement and decreased response rate to standard therapeutic regimens, including infliximab (IFX). We present a case series of 4 patients with infantile-onset IBD achieving clinical and biologic remission, after treatment with therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)-guided accelerated high-dose IFX therapy. All patients were treated with accelerated high-dose IFX induction of up to 22 mg/kg. In 3 of these patients, accelerated high-dose IFX was used following failure of intensified standard dose induction. All patients achieved remission following re-induction.We suggest that children with infantile-onset IBD may require a TDM-guided accelerated high-dose IFX induction and maintenance treatment in order to achieve and maintain remission. Personalized approach in these patients is essential in order to prevent underdosing and to avoid inappropriate interpretation of treatment failure.

Primary gastric lymphoma in a soldier presenting as acute gastrointestinal bleeding.

Acute epigastric pain is commonly encountered among young adults undergoing military training. Gastric malignancy usually affects older individuals and may occasionally masquerade as peptic disease. We report a case of primary gastric lymphoma (PGL) in a young soldier, presenting as an acute upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding. The case is presented along with a review of the relevant literature. Primary care physicians should bear in mind that although highly unusual in this age group, primary gastric lymphoma may occasionally afflict young adults and military recruits as demonstrated by the case under discussion. Nevertheless, referral for investigation of suspected peptic disease should follow standard guidelines.