Nordic inflammatory bowel disease treatment strategy trial: protocol for the NORDTREAT randomised controlled biomarker-strategy trial.

INTRODUCTION: The absence of reliable prognostic markers poses a challenge to the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Patients with aggressive disease may not receive sufficient treatment with conventional 'step-up' therapy, whereas a top-down approach may expose patients with indolent disease to unnecessary treatment-related toxicity. The objective of the Nordic IBD treatment strategy trial (NORDTREAT) is to assess the feasibility of personalised therapy by stratifying patients according to a prognostic serum protein signature at diagnosis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: NORDTREAT is a multicentre, biomarker-strategy design, open-label controlled trial. After screening consent, eligible patients are randomised (1:1) into one of two groups: a group with access to the protein signature and a group without access. In the access to protein signature group, patients displaying a protein signature suggestive of an increased risk of an aggressive disease course will be treated in line with a top-down treatment algorithm (anti-tumour necrosis factor agent with/without an immunomodulator). In contrast, those with a protein signature indicative of indolent disease will be excluded from the trial. Patients not in the access group receive treatment based on clinical management. This traditional management involves a stepwise escalation of treatment as determined by the investigator after failure of first-line treatment. After 52 weeks, outcomes are assessed in the subgroup of patients with a protein profile indicating a potentially severe disease trajectory. The primary endpoint is a composite of the proportion of patients with corticosteroid-free clinical and endoscopic remission at week 52. Surgical intervention due to IBD during follow-up will be defined as treatment failure. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained, and recruitment is underway at sites in four participating Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). Following trial completion and data analysis, the trial results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05180175; Pre-results. EudraCT number: 2019-002942-19.

Novel biomarker profiles to improve individual diagnosis and prognosis in patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease: protocol for the Nordic inception cohort study (NORDTREAT).

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, can be challenging to diagnose, and treatment outcomes are difficult to predict. In the NORDTREAT cohort study, a Nordic prospective multicentre study, we aim to identify novel molecular biomarkers of diagnostic value by assessing the diagnostic test accuracy (cross-sectionally), as well as the prognostic utility when used as prognostic markers in the long-term (cohort study). In the diagnostic test accuracy study, the primary outcome is a successful diagnosis using one or more novel index tests at baseline compared with the ECCO criteria as the reference standard. The composite outcome of the prognostic utility study is 'severe IBD' within 52 weeks from inclusion, defined as one or more of the following three events: IBD-related surgery, IBD-related hospitalisation or IBD-related death. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We aim to recruit 800 patients referred on suspicion of IBD to this longitudinal observational study, a collaboration between 11 inclusion sites in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Inclusion will occur from February 2022 until December 2023 with screening and baseline visits for all participants and three outcome visits at weeks 12, 26 and 52 after baseline for IBD-diagnosed patients. Biological material (blood, faeces, biopsies, urine and hair), clinical data and lifestyle information will be collected during these scheduled visits. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study will explore novel biomarkers to improve diagnostic accuracy and prediction of disease progression, thereby improving medical therapy and the quality of life for patients with IBD.The study is approved by the Ethics Committee (DK: S-20200051, v1.4, 16.10.2021; IS: VSNb2021070006/03.01, NO: 193064; SE: DNR 2021-05090) and the Danish Data Protecting Agency (20/54594). Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, patient associations and presentations at international conferences. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05414578; Pre-results.