Infliximab is an effective option in patients with ulcerative colitis previously exposed to full subcutaneous anti-TNF agent: Results from a real-world multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Data on infliximab efficacy in bio-exposed patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are limited. AIMS: To evaluate infliximab effectiveness and its predictors in UC patients with prior exposure to subcutaneous (SC) anti-TNF agent. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective study (8 centers), we included all consecutive UC patients with prior exposure to subcutaneous anti-TNF, starting infliximab for symptomatic UC, excluding acute severe colitis. Corticosteroid-free clinical remission (CFREM) was assessed at week 14 (W14) and W52 while endoscopic improvement (CFREM + endoscopic Mayo score≤1) was evaluated at W14. RESULTS: Overall, 104 patients were included (pancolitis=54.8%, primary failure to subcutaneous anti-TNF=57.4%, concomitant immunosuppressant=53.8%, median partial Mayo score at baseline=7[5-8]). The rate of CFREM was 33.6% (35/104) at W14 and 40.4% (42/104) at W52. At W14, endoscopic improvement was achieved in 29.8%(31/104). In multivariable analysis, concomitant immunosuppressant was associated with higher rate of CFREM at W14(OR=2.83[1.06-7.54], p = 0.037) and W52(OR=2.68[1.16-6.22];p = 0.021), while primary failure to a previous subcutaneous anti-TNF agent led to lower rate of CFREM at W14 (OR=0.37[0.14-0.98], p = 0.046). After a median follow-up of 20.9 months[11.7-33.7]), 50.0%(52/104) patients had discontinued infliximab. CONCLUSION: Infliximab is an effective option in UC patients previously exposed to prior subcutaneous anti-TNF agent and should be used with concomitant immunosuppressant.

Comparative Risk of Incident Cancer in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease with Prior Non-digestive Malignancy According to Immunomodulator: a Multicentre Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge about the cancer risk when initiating a biologic in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] patients with prior malignancy remains scarce, especially for vedolizumab. Our aim was to evaluate the rate of incident cancer in a cohort of IBD patients with prior non-digestive malignancy, according to the subsequent treatment given. METHODS: A multicentre retrospective study included consecutive IBD patients with prior non-digestive malignancy. Inclusion date corresponded to the diagnosis of index malignancy. Patients were categorized into different cohorts according to the first treatment [none, conventional immunosuppressant, anti-TNF, or vedolizumab] to which they were exposed after inclusion and before incident cancer [recurrent or new cancer]. RESULTS: Among the 538 patients {58% female; mean (standard deviation [SD]) age inclusion: 52 [15] years} analyzed, the most frequent malignancy was breast cancer [25%]. The first immunomodulator given after inclusion was a conventional immunosuppressant in 27% of patients, anti-TNF in 21%, or vedolizumab in 9%. With a median (interquartile range [IQR]) follow-up duration of 55 [23-100] months, 100 incident cancers were observed. Crude cancer incidence rates per 1000 person-years were 47.0 for patients receiving no immunomodulator, 36.6 in the anti-TNF cohort, and 33.6 in the vedolizumab cohort [p = 0.23]. Incident-cancer free survival rates were not different between patients receiving anti-TNF and those receiving vedolizumab [p = 0.56]. After adjustment, incidence rates were not different between patients receiving no immunomodulator, anti-TNF, or vedolizumab. CONCLUSIONS: In this large multicentre cohort study, there was no difference of cancer incidence in those IBD patients with prior non-digestive malignancy, treated with vedolizumab or anti-TNF.

Adalimumab for patients with Crohn's disease complicated by intra-abdominal abscess: a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study.

doi:10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjy222 Abstract P528 from the 'Poster presentations' section of the main abstract book has been withdrawn and re-inserted as DOP63 in the 'Late-breaking abstracts' section.

Efficacy, Tolerability, and Safety of Low-Volume Bowel Preparations for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: The French Multicentre CLEAN Study.

BACKGROUND: Standard high-volume polyethylene glycol [PEG] bowel preparations [PEG-4L] are recommended for patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] undergoing colonoscopy. However, low-volume preparations [≤2 L of active volume] are often used in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of the various bowel preparations for patients with IBD, including low-volume preparations. METHODS: We conducted a French prospective multicentre observational study over a period of 1 month. Patients aged 18-75 years with IBD with an indication of colonoscopy independent of the study were enrolled. The choice of the preparation was left to the investigators, as per their usual protocol. The patients' characteristics, disease, and colonoscopy characteristics were recorded, and they were given self-reported questionnaires. RESULTS: Twenty-five public and private hospitals enrolled 278 patients. Among them, 46 had a disease flare and 41 had bowel stenoses. Bowel preparations for colonoscopy were as follows: 42% received PEG-2L, 29% received sodium picosulfate [Pico], 15% received PEG-4L, and 14% had other preparations. The preparation did not reach the Boston's score efficacy outcome in the PEG-4L group in 51.2% of the patients [p = 0.0011]. The preparation intake was complete for 59.5% in the PEG-4L group, compared with 82.9% in the PEG-2L group and 93.8% in the Pico group [p < 0.0001]. Tolerability, as assessed by the patients' VAS, was significantly better for both Pico and PEG-2L compared with PEG-4L, and better for Pico compared with PEG-2L [p = 0.008; p = 0.0003]. In multivariate analyses, low-volume preparations were independent factors of efficacy and tolerability. Adverse events occurred in 4.3% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Preparations with PEG-2L and Pico were equally safe, with better efficacy and tolerability outcomes compared with PEG-4L preparations. The best efficacy/tolerance/safety profile was achieved with the Pico preparation.

Long-term efficacy and safety of ustekinumab in 122 refractory Crohn's disease patients: a multicentre experience.

BACKGROUND: Long-term outcome of ustekinumab in Crohn's disease (CD) has not been evaluated. AIM: To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of ustekinumab and identify the predictive factors of ustekinumab failure-free persistence in a cohort of anti-TNF refractory CD patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective multicentre cohort study including all consecutive CD patients who began subcutaneous ustekinumab and presented a clinical response (defined as a significant improvement of CD-related clinical symptoms assessed by the patient's physician leading to continued ustekinumab) during the first year of treatment. Primary outcome was treatment failure defined as withdrawal of treatment due to loss of response, intolerance or need for surgery. RESULTS: Eighty-eight of the 122 (72%) CD patients beginning ustekinumab from March 2011 to December 2014, responded to ustekinumab and were followed up until November 2016. Median time on ustekinumab was 26.6 (13.4-34.4) months. Forty-seven patients (54%) continued ustekinumab with a clinical response and 38 (43%) stopped treatment (32 for failure, five for remission and one for pregnancy). Endoscopic response was observed in 82% of patients with endoscopic evaluation and mucosal healing in 39%. Ustekinumab failure-free persistence rates were 78% at 12 months, 66% at 24 months and 55% at 36 months. No predictive factor of ustekinumab failure-free persistence was identified. One severe adverse event was observed (anal adenocarcinoma). CONCLUSION: In this cohort of refractory CD patients receiving long-term ustekinumab therapy, more than 50% of patients continued ustekinumab treatment with no loss of response, intolerance or surgery and with a good safety profile.

Impact of vedolizumab therapy on extra-intestinal manifestations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a multicentre cohort study nested in the OBSERV-IBD cohort.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of vedolizumab as a treatment for extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) is questionable due to its gut-specificity. AIM: To assess effectiveness of vedolizumab for EIM in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a large real-life experience cohort. METHODS: Between June and December 2014, 173 patients with Crohn's disease and 121 with ulcerative colitis were treated with vedolizumab. Patients were followed until week 54. EIM activity was assessed at weeks 0, 6, 14, 22, 30 and 54 by using a 3-step scale: complete remission, partial response and no response. RESULTS: At baseline, 49 (16.7%) patients had EIMs of which 47 had inflammatory arthralgia/arthritis, four had cutaneous lesions and two had both rheumatologic and skin EIM. At week 54, 21 (44.7%) patients had complete remission for inflammatory arthralgia/arthritis and three (75%) for cutaneous EIM. In multivariate analysis, complete remission of inflammatory arthralgia/arthritis was associated with clinical remission of IBD (OR = 1.89, IC95% [1.05-3.41], P = .03) and recent onset of inflammatory arthralgia/arthritis (OR = 1.99, IC95% [1.12-3.52], P = .02). During the follow-up period, 34 (13.8%) patients without any EIM at baseline, developed incident cases of inflammatory arthralgia/arthritis consisting mostly of peripheral arthralgia without evidence of arthritis and 14 (4.8%) incident cases of paradoxical skin manifestation. CONCLUSION: Vedolizumab therapy is commonly associated with improvement in EIM. This was associated with quiescent IBD and recent EIM. However, paradoxical skin manifestation and inflammatory arthralgia/arthritis may occur upon vedolizumab therapy.

One-year effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab therapy for inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective multicentre cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We recently showed that vedolizumab is effective in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) with prior anti-TNF failure in a multicentre compassionate early-access programme before marketing authorisation was granted to vedolizumab. AIMS: To assess effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab at week 54 in patients UC and CD. METHODS: Between June and December 2014, 173 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 121 with ulcerative colitis (UC) were treated with vedolizumab induction therapy. Among those 294 patients, 272 completed the induction period and were evaluated at the week 14 visit (161 patients with CD and 111 with UC). Disease activity was assessed using the Harvey-Bradshaw Index for CD and the partial Mayo Clinic score for UC. The primary outcome was steroid-free clinical remission at week 54. RESULTS: At week 54, steroid-free clinical remission rates at week 54 were 27.2% and 40.5% in patients with CD and UC respectively. In addition, the sustained steroid-free clinical remission (from week 14 to week 54) rates were 8.1% and 19.0% respectively. No deaths were observed. Severe adverse events occurred in 17 (7.2%) patients, including six (2.5%) leading to vedolizumab discontinuation. CONCLUSION: Vedolizumab is able to maintain steroid-free clinical remission in up to one-third of patients with UC and CD at week 54 with a reasonable safety profile. A significant number of patients experienced loss of response during the first year of treatment, particularly in patients with CD.