Comparative effectiveness and safety of infliximab and adalimumab in patients with ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: Real-world comparative benefits and risks of infliximab (IFX) and adalimumab (ADA) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are unclear. AIM: To evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of IFX and ADA in patients with UC who were new users of anti-TNF agents. METHODS: Using an administrative claims database (Optum Labs Data Warehouse), we identified patients who received first anti-TNF (IFX, ADA) prescription after a 12-month period without any anti-TNF treatment (baseline), and with a minimum 6-month follow-up after anti-TNF initiation. Primary outcome measures were: all-cause and UC-related hospitalisation, abdominal surgery, corticosteroid use >60 days after starting anti-TNF, and serious infections. We performed 2:1 propensity-score matched Cox proportional hazard analysis, and inverse probability-of-treatment weight (IPTW) analysis, accounting for healthcare utilisation, comorbidities and use of UC-related medication. RESULTS: We included 1400 new users of anti-TNF agents (age, 43 ± 15 years; 52% males), from 2006 to 2014. On propensity-score matched analysis, there was no significant difference in the risk of UC-related hospitalisation [IFX vs. ADA; adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-1.51], corticosteroid use (aHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.68-1.06) and serious infections (aHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.29-1.34) between IFX- and ADA-treated patients; the number of surgical events was very small. On IPTW analysis, risk of corticosteroid use was significantly lower in IFX - as compared to ADA - treated patients (aHR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68-0.99). Results were stable on multiple sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In a large retrospective cohort of patients with UC who were new users of anti-TNF agents, IFX-treated patients may have lower corticosteroid use than ADA-treated patients, but risk of hospitalisation and serious infections were comparable.

Increased risk of herpes zoster among 108 604 patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on certain immunosuppressants have increased herpes zoster (HZ) risk. AIM: To determine the risk of HZ in IBD and how antitumour necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF) agents affect this risk. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort and nested case-control study using administrative data from IMS LifeLink(®) Information Assets-Health Plan Claims Database. In the cohort, we identified IBD patients

Choledochoscopy in prevention of retained common bile duct stones.

More than 150,000 patients undergo exploration of the common bile duct each year in the United States, and approximately 10 per cent of these patients are later found to have retained common bile duct stones. The usual recommended procedure to decrease the incidence of retained calculi is a more complete exploration of the common duct at time of initial operation. It is thought that the incidence of retained common bile duct stones can be decreased and almost eliminated with proper use of the flexible choledochoscope following intraoperative cystic duct cholangiogram. The technical aspects of choledochoscopy are reviewed and experience with its use in 102 cases between July 1978 and October 1985 is reported. There were no residual stones in the span of the study using the flexible choledochoscope as a routine procedure in common bile duct exploration.

Routine intraoperative cholangiogram.

The value of a routine intraoperative cholangiogram is controversial. We reviewed 352 consecutive instances of cholecystectomy for nonmalignant disease during a period of three years to assess the diagnostic accuracy and additional cost of the roentgenographic technique. Intraoperative cholangiogram was done in all except 11 patients. Forty-nine of 341 patients underwent exploration of the common bile duct. The diagnosis was determined by the cholangiogram and was correct in 46 patients with three false-positive results. The other 292 patients did well without exploration of the common bile duct. The cholangiocatheter and a special cholangioclamp made the procedure easy and minimized additional operation time (five minutes with no mortality and negligible morbidity). Clinical indications for exploration of the common bile duct correlated poorly with abnormal findings in the bile duct. Unsuspected common duct stones were detected by cholangiogram in 17 (5 per cent) patients. Possible iatrogenic trauma to the common duct was prevented when significant abnormal findings were demonstrated by cholangiogram. The results of this study indicate that routine intraoperative cholangiogram is: accurate for diagnosis of common bile duct stones; useful in identification of bile duct anomalies and, thus, aids in preventing injury to the common bile duct; safe with negligible risk, and neither expensive nor time consuming if done correctly as a routine procedure.

Functioning lipoadenoma of the parathyroid gland.

Lipoadenoma is a rare tumor of the parathyroid gland composed of adult adipose tissue and irregular trabeculae of parathyroid cells. This variant of adenoma is poorly documented. Similar lesions that have been either functional or apparently nonfunctional have been reported as adenoma with unusual stromal development and as parathyroid hamartoma, respectively. In this report, the second case of a functional lipoadenoma of the parathyroid gland is described.