Health outcomes of 1000 children born to mothers with inflammatory bowel disease in their first 5 years of life.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the long-term health outcomes of children born to mothers with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to assess the impact of maternal IBD medication use on these outcomes. DESIGN: We performed a multicentre retrospective study in The Netherlands. Women with IBD who gave birth between 1999 and 2018 were enrolled from 20 participating hospitals. Information regarding disease characteristics, medication use, lifestyle, pregnancy outcomes and long-term health outcomes of children was retrieved from mothers and medical charts. After consent of both parents, outcomes until 5 years were also collected from general practitioners. Our primary aim was to assess infection rate and our secondary aims were to assess adverse reactions to vaccinations, growth, autoimmune diseases and malignancies. RESULTS: We included 1000 children born to 626 mothers (381 (61%) Crohn's disease, 225 (36%) ulcerative colitis and 20 (3%) IBD unclassified). In total, 196 (20%) had intrauterine exposure to anti-tumour necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF-α) (60 with concomitant thiopurine) and 240 (24%) were exposed to thiopurine monotherapy. The 564 children (56%) not exposed to anti-TNF-α and/or thiopurine served as control group. There was no association between adverse long-term health outcomes and in utero exposure to IBD treatment. We did find an increased rate of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) in case thiopurine was used during the pregnancy without affecting birth outcomes and long-term health outcomes of children. All outcomes correspond with the general age-adjusted population. CONCLUSION: In our study, we found no association between in utero exposure to anti-TNF-α and/or thiopurine and the long-term outcomes antibiotic-treated infections, severe infections needing hospital admission, adverse reactions to vaccinations, growth failure, autoimmune diseases and malignancies.

Clinical Course of Nodular Regenerative Hyperplasia in Thiopurine Treated Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) is a poorly understood liver condition, which is increasingly recognized in thiopurine-treated patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).1 It is difficult to establish an optimal approach to NRH patients, because its manifestations are highly variable (from asymptomatic to symptoms of noncirrhotic portal hypertension [NCPH]) and the prognosis is unknown.2 The aim of this study was to identify NRH cases in IBD patients treated with azathioprine, mercaptopurine, and/or thioguanine, and to describe its clinical course.

Effectiveness of Disease-Specific Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life in Youth With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a disease-specific cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) protocol on anxiety and depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents and young adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Method: A parallel group randomized controlled trial was conducted in 6 centers of (pediatric) gastroenterology. Included were 70 patients and young adults (10-25 years) with IBD and subclinical anxiety and/or depressive symptoms. Patients were randomized into 2 groups, stratified by center: (a) standard medical care (care-as-usual [CAU]) plus disease-specific manualized CBT (Primary and Secondary Control Enhancement Training for Physical Illness; PASCET-PI), with 10 weekly sessions, 3 parent sessions, and 3 booster sessions (n = 37), or (b) CAU only (n = 33). Primary analysis concerned the reliable change in anxiety and depressive symptoms after 3 months (immediate posttreatment assessment). Exploratory analyses concerned (1) the course of anxiety and depressive symptoms and HRQOL in subgroups based on age, and (2) the influence of age, gender, and disease type on the effect of the PASCET-PI. Results: Overall, all participants improved significantly in their anxiety and depressive symptoms and HRQOL, regardless of group, age, gender, and disease type. Primary chi-square tests and exploratory linear mixed models showed no difference in outcomes between the PASCET-PI (n = 35) and the CAU group (n = 33). Conclusions: In youth with IBD and subclinical anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, preliminary results of immediate post-treatment assessment indicated that a disease-specific CBT added to standard medical care did not perform better than standard medical care in improving psychological symptoms or HRQOL. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02265588.

The transferrin/log(ferritin) ratio: a new tool for the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia.

BACKGROUND: Serum ferritin is the best single laboratory test to diagnose iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Ferritin levels <20 µg/L are highly specific for IDA, and ferritin levels >100 µg/L usually exclude IDA. However, ferritin concentrations between 20 and 100 µg/L are often inconclusive. The objective of this study was to improve the diagnosis of IDA when ferritin levels are inconclusive. METHODS: We evaluated the predictive performance of classic (ferritin, mean corpuscular volume, transferrin and serum iron) and modern [reticulocyte hemoglobin content, serum transferrin receptor and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)/log(ferr)] iron status parameters to diagnose IDA in 2084 anemic, non-hospitalized patients. The results were validated in an independent cohort of 274 anemic patients. RESULTS: In our study population, 29% (595 patients) of the patients had a ferritin level between 20 and 100 µg/L, hampering diagnosis of IDA. None of the classic or modern parameters was capable of completely separating the IDA population from the non-IDA population. However, using a new parameter, the transferrin/log(ferritin) ratio, the IDA and non-IDA populations can be completely separated. At a cut-off value of 1.70, the transferrin/log(ferritin) ratio indicates IDA in 29% of the patients with inconclusive ferritin levels. CONCLUSIONS: The transferrin/log(ferritin) ratio is a practical new tool that improves diagnosis of iron deficiency when ferritin levels are inconclusive.

The risk of inflammatory bowel disease-related colorectal carcinoma is limited: results from a nationwide nested case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: The risk for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-related colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a matter of debate. Initial reports mainly originate from tertiary referral centers, and conflict with more recent studies. Overall, epidemiology of IBD-related CRC is relevant to strengthen the basis of surveillance guidelines. We performed a nationwide nested case-control study to assess the risk for IBD-related CRC and associated prognostic factors in general hospitals. METHODS: IBD patients diagnosed with CRC between January 1990 and July 2006 in 78 Dutch general hospitals were identified as cases, using a nationwide automated pathology database. Control IBD patients without CRC were randomly selected. Clinical data were collected from detailed chart review. Poisson regression analysis was used for univariable and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: A total of 173 cases were identified through pathology and chart review and compared with 393 controls. The incidence rate of IBD-related CRC was 0.04%. Risk factors for IBD-related CRC were older age, concomitant primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC, relative ratio (RR) per year duration 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.10), pseudopolyps (RR 1.92; 95% CI 1.28-2.88), and duration of IBD (RR per year 1.04; 95% CI 1.02-1.05). Using immunosuppressive therapy (odds ratio (OR) 0.3; 95% CI 0.16-0.56, P<0.001) or anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (OR 0.09; 95% CI 0.01-0.68, P<0.02) was protective. CONCLUSIONS: We found a limited risk for developing IBD-related CRC in The Netherlands. Age, duration of PSC and IBD, concomitant pseudopolyps, and use immunosuppressives or anti-TNF were strong prognostic factors in general hospitals.

Screening for gastrointestinal malignancy in patients with iron deficiency anemia by general practitioners: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is 2-5% in men and postmenopausal women in the developed world. IDA is commonly caused by chronic gastrointestinal blood loss, and a thorough examination of the gastrointestinal tract must be standard practice. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively study endoscopic evaluations of patients from general practitioners diagnosed with IDA in a peripheral hospital laboratory in order to determine the cause of IDA and the number of gastrointestinal malignancies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated all patients with IDA diagnosed in a peripheral hospital laboratory by the general practitioner in the region of our hospital from 1 January 2004 until 31 December 2005. We included women older than 50 and men 18 years and older without a history of IDA in the previous 2 years. RESULTS: In 2 years, 287 patients were newly diagnosed with IDA in our hospital laboratory. Only 90 (31%) patients were endoscopically evaluated within 4 months. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed at least one lesion potentially responsible for blood loss in 41 of 90 (46%) patients. The most common lesions identified by gastroduodenal endoscopy were erosive esophagitis, gastritis and duodenitis (14%). Cancer was the most commonly detected lesion in the colon, accounting for 17 of 21 colonic lesions explaining IDA. In total, gastrointestinal malignancy was diagnosed in 2% of screened patients. Factors determining the decision for endoscopic screening were lower hemoglobin level, lower ferritin level and male gender. CONCLUSION: In our retrospective study of patients with IDA, only 31% received any form of endoscopic evaluation. In general practice, IDA is investigated suboptimally, and interventions other than the issuing of guidelines are needed to change practice.

Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Clinical Disease Course in Adolescents and Young Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Subclinical Anxiety and/or Depression: Results of a Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depressive symptoms are prevalent in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may negatively influence disease course. Disease activity could be affected positively by treatment of psychological symptoms. We investigated the effect of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on clinical disease course in 10-25-year-old IBD patients experiencing subclinical anxiety and/or depression. METHODS: In this multicenter parallel group randomized controlled trial, IBD patients were randomized to disease-specific CBT in addition to standard medical care (CBT + care us usual [CAU]) or CAU only. The primary outcome was time to first relapse in the first 12 months. Secondary outcomes were clinical disease activity, fecal calprotectin, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Survival analyses and linear mixed models were performed to compare groups. RESULTS: Seventy patients were randomized (CBT+CAU = 37, CAU = 33), with a mean age of 18.3 years (±50% < 18 y, 31.4% male, 51.4% Crohn's disease, 93% in remission). Time to first relapse did not differ between patients in the CBT+CAU group vs the CAU group (n = 65, P = 0.915). Furthermore, clinical disease activity, fecal calprotectin, and CRP did not significantly change over time between/within both groups. Exploratory analyses in 10-18-year-old patients showed a 9% increase per month of fecal calprotectin and a 7% increase per month of serum CRP in the CAU group, which was not seen in the CAU+CBT group. CONCLUSIONS: CBT did not influence time to relapse in young IBD patients with subclinical anxiety and/or depression. However, exploratory analyses may suggest a beneficial effect of CBT on inflammatory markers in children.

Benefit of Earlier Anti-TNF Treatment on IBD Disease Complications?

BACKGROUND: Anti-tumour necrosis factor [anti-TNF] treatment was demonstrated to have disease-modifying abilities in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of anti-TNF treatment timing on IBD disease complications and mucosal healing [MH]. METHODS: The following IBD-related complications were tested in relation to timing of anti-TNF therapy start in newly diagnosed IBD patients [n = 413]: fistula formation, abscess formation, extra-intestinal manifestations [EIM], surgery, referral to academic centre, and MH. RESULTS: A total of 85 patients [21%] received anti-TNF (66 Crohn's disease [CD], 16 ulcerative colitis [UC], 3 inflammatory bowel disease unclassified [IBDU]) of whom 57% [48 patients] were treated < 16 months after diagnosis. Patients receiving anti-TNF early [< 16 months] did not differ from patients receiving anti-TNF late [> 16 months] regarding gender, age, smoking status, and familial IBD. More importantly, patients receiving anti-TNF early did not suffer less IBD-related complications during follow-up as compared with patients started on anti-TNF late, nor was more MH observed. Similar results were obtained when anti-TNF treated patient were stratified more stringently, ie < 12 months [40 patients] vs >2 4 months [24 patients]. Cox regression analysis showed no beneficial correlations between anti-TNF timing and IBD-related complications. Anti-TNF treated patients achieving MH were 11 times less likely to develop EIMs compared with patients who did not achieved MH while on anti-TNF. CONCLUSIONS: This study was unable to confirm a benefit of earlier anti-TNF treatment on IBD disease complications. This could be explained by more aggressive treatment earlier in disease, resulting in fewer IBD complications. However, it seems more likely that inappropriate selection of patients for therapy leads to suboptimal treatment and subsequently suboptimal outcome.

Phenotype of inflammatory bowel disease at diagnosis in the Netherlands: a population-based inception cohort study (the Delta Cohort).

BACKGROUND: To describe the clinical characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) at diagnosis in The Netherlands at the population level in the era of biologics. METHODS: All patients with newly diagnosed IBD (diagnosis made between January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2007) followed in 9 general hospitals in the southwest of the Netherlands were included in this population-based inception cohort study. RESULTS: A total of 413 patients were enrolled, of which 201 Crohn's disease (CD) (48.7%), 188 ulcerative colitis (UC) (45.5%), and 24 IBD unclassified (5.8%), with a median age of 38 years (range, 14-95). Seventy-eight patients with CD (38.8%) had ileocolonic disease and 73 patients (36.3%) had pure colonic disease. In 8 patients (4.0%), the upper gastrointestinal tract was involved. Nineteen patients with CD (9.5%) had perianal disease. Thirty-nine patients with CD (19.4%) had stricturing phenotype. Of the patients with UC and IBDU, 39 (18.4%) suffered from pancolitis and 61 (29%) from proctitis. Severe endoscopic lesions at diagnosis were seen in 119 patients (28.8%, 68 CD, 49 UC, and 2 IBDU), whereas 98 patients (23.7%) had severe histological disease activity. Thirteen patients (3.1%, 10 CD and 3 UC) had extraintestinal manifestations at diagnosis. Twenty-three patients (5.6%, 20 CD and 3 UC) had fistula at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, 31% of the patients with CD had complicated disease at diagnosis, 39% had ileocolonic disease, 9.5% had perianal disease, and in 4% the upper gastrointestinal tract was involved. Most patients with UC suffered from left-sided colitis (51%). Severe endoscopic lesions were reported in 34% of the patients with CD and 26% of the patients with UC. Three percent of the patients with IBD had extraintestinal manifestations.