Rapid Infliximab Infusion in the Pediatric Population.

OBJECTIVES: To compare infusion reaction rates between rapid infliximab (REMICADE, Janssen Biotech Inc) infusions and previous standard 2- to 3-hour infusions; additionally, to assess patient satisfaction and reduction in chair time associated with rapid infliximab infusions. METHODS: Pediatric rheumatology and gastroenterology patients receiving maintenance infliximab therapy using a standard 2- to 3-hour titrated infusion had the opportunity to enroll in the non-titrated rapid 1-hour infusion protocol following tolerance of induction dosing at 0, 2, and 6 weeks. Patients were included from December 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, via retrospective chart review and patient satisfaction surveys. RESULTS: Data were collected on 55 patients receiving a total of 160 rapid infliximab infusions. There were 2 infusion reactions during the enrollment and data collection period, resulting in an overall infusion reaction rate of 1.3%. The patient satisfaction survey results showed all patients were at minimum satisfied with the information provided regarding rapid infliximab, decreased time spent in clinic, ease of scheduling, and overall process. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest rapid infliximab infusions are safe in pediatric rheumatology and gastroenterology patients receiving maintenance infliximab infusion therapy. The overall infusion reaction rate of 1.3% in this study is well below the accepted infusion reaction rate of standard-length infliximab infusions of 2% to 3%.

Implementing a Novel Quality Improvement-Based Approach to Data Quality Monitoring and Enhancement in a Multipurpose Clinical Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To implement a quality improvement based system to measure and improve data quality in an observational clinical registry to support a Learning Healthcare System. DATA SOURCE: ImproveCareNow Network registry, which as of September 2019 contained data from 314,250 visits of 43,305 pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients at 109 participating care centers. STUDY DESIGN: The impact of data quality improvement support to care centers was evaluated using statistical process control methodology. Data quality measures were defined, performance feedback of those measures using statistical process control charts was implemented, and reports that identified data items not following data quality checks were developed to enable centers to monitor and improve the quality of their data. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: There was a pattern of improvement across measures of data quality. The proportion of visits with complete critical data increased from 72 percent to 82 percent. The percent of registered patients improved from 59 percent to 83 percent. Of three additional measures of data consistency and timeliness, one improved performance from 42 percent to 63 percent. Performance declined on one measure due to changes in network documentation practices and maturation. There was variation among care centers in data quality. CONCLUSIONS: A quality improvement based approach to data quality monitoring and improvement is feasible and effective.

Use of oral immunoglobulins to treat diarrhea in pediatric kidney transplant recipients-Single-center experience and review of the literature.

Effective treatment modalities for diarrhea in solid organ transplant recipients are lacking. We evaluated the effect of oral IgG on clinical course of diarrhea in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. We retrospectively studied all pediatric kidney transplant recipients who required hospitalization for diarrhea between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017. We divided the recipients into two groups based on whether they had received oral IgG to treat diarrhea. Sixteen pediatric kidney transplant recipients required hospitalization for diarrhea over 3 years. Median age at admission was 9.25 years (IQR:12.54). Fifty-six percent of recipients were male, and 81% were white. Four patients received oral IgG for prolonged diarrhea. Oral IgG recipients had longer diarrheal duration before admission (median (days) 14.5 vs1; P .02), a trend for greater weight loss at admission (median (kilogram) 1.4 vs 0.2; P .3), and a trend for higher acute kidney injury (>75% reduction in glomerular filtration rate: 100% vs 42%; P .36). Diarrhea resolved completely in 3 (75%) oral IgG recipients and 7 (58%) non-oral IgG patients by discharge (P .99). One oral IgG recipient showed partial improvement but also had biopsy evidence of mycophenolate-induced colitis. All patients tolerated oral IgG well. No patients required re-hospitalization within 30 days of discharge. Oral IgG may be used safely and effectively to treat prolonged diarrhea in pediatric kidney transplant recipients. A larger, randomized, prospective study is needed to further assess the efficacy of oral IgG in the treatment of diarrhea.

Clinical and biological predictors of response to standardised paediatric colitis therapy (PROTECT): a multicentre inception cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Lack of evidence-based outcomes data leads to uncertainty in developing treatment regimens in children who are newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. We hypothesised that pretreatment clinical, transcriptomic, and microbial factors predict disease course. METHODS: In this inception cohort study, we recruited paediatric patients aged 4-17 years with newly diagnosed ulcerative colitis from 29 centres in the USA and Canada. Patients initially received standardised mesalazine or corticosteroids, with pre-established criteria for escalation to immunomodulators (ie, thiopurines) or anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) therapy. We used RNA sequencing to define rectal gene expression before treatment, and 16S sequencing to characterise rectal and faecal microbiota. The primary outcome was week 52 corticosteroid-free remission with no therapy beyond mesalazine. We assessed factors associated with the primary outcome using logistic regression models of the per-protocol population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01536535. FINDINGS: Between July 10, 2012, and April 21, 2015, of 467 patients recruited, 428 started medical therapy, of whom 400 (93%) were evaluable at 52 weeks and 386 (90%) completed the study period with no protocol violations. 150 (38%) of 400 participants achieved week 52 corticosteroid-free remission, of whom 147 (98%) were taking mesalazine and three (2%) were taking no medication. 74 (19%) of 400 were escalated to immunomodulators alone, 123 (31%) anti-TNFα therapy, and 25 (6%) colectomy. Low baseline clinical severity, high baseline haemoglobin, and week 4 clinical remission were associated with achieving week 52 corticosteroid-free remission (n=386, logistic model area under the curve [AUC] 0·70, 95% CI 0·65-0·75; specificity 77%, 95% CI 71-82). Baseline severity and remission by week 4 were validated in an independent cohort of 274 paediatric patients with newly diagnosed ulcerative colitis. After adjusting for clinical predictors, an antimicrobial peptide gene signature (odds ratio [OR] 0·57, 95% CI 0·39-0·81; p=0·002) and abundance of Ruminococcaceae (OR 1·43, 1·02-2·00; p=0·04), and Sutterella (OR 0·81, 0·65-1·00; p=0·05) were independently associated with week 52 corticosteroid-free remission. INTERPRETATION: Our findings support the utility of initial clinical activity and treatment response by 4 weeks to predict week 52 corticosteroid-free remission with mesalazine alone in children who are newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. The development of personalised clinical and biological signatures holds the promise of informing ulcerative colitis therapeutic decisions. FUNDING: US National Institutes of Health.

Biologics Delay Progression of Crohn's Disease, but Not Early Surgery, in Children.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Up to 30% of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) require surgery within the first 5 years from diagnosis. We investigated the recent risk of bowel surgery in an inception cohort of pediatric patients with CD and whether early use of biologics (tumor necrosis factor antagonists) alters later disease course. METHODS: We collected data from the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Collaborative Research Group registry on 1442 children (age, ≤16 y) diagnosed with CD from January 2002 through December 2014. Data were collected at diagnosis, 30 days following diagnosis, and then quarterly and during hospitalizations for up to 12 years. Our primary aim was to determine the 10-year risk for surgery in children with CD. Our secondary aim was to determine whether early use of biologics (<3 mo of diagnosis) affected risk of disease progression. RESULTS: The 10-year risk of first bowel surgery was 26%. The 5-year risk of bowel surgery did not change from 2002 through 2014, and remained between 13% and 14%. Most surgeries occurred within 3 years from diagnosis. The only predictor of surgery was disease behavior at diagnosis. CD with inflammatory behavior had the lowest risk of surgery compared to stricturing disease, penetrating disease, or both. We associated slowing of disease progression to stricturing or penetrating disease (but not surgery) with early use of biologics, but this effect only became evident after 5 years of disease. Our results indicate that biologics slow disease progression over time (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of data from a registry of pediatric patients with CD, we found that among those with significant and progressing disease at or shortly after presentation, early surgery is difficult to prevent, even with early use of biologics. Early use of biologics (<3 mo of diagnosis) can delay later disease progression to stricturing and/or penetrating disease, but this affect could become evident only years after initial management decisions are made.

Factors associated with early outcomes following standardised therapy in children with ulcerative colitis (PROTECT): a multicentre inception cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Previous retrospective studies of paediatric ulcerative colitis have had limited ability to describe disease progression and identify predictors of treatment response. In this study, we aimed to identify characteristics associated with outcomes following standardised therapy after initial diagnosis. METHODS: The PROTECT multicentre inception cohort study was based at 29 centres in the USA and Canada and included paediatric patients aged 4-17 years who were newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Guided by the Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI), patients received initial standardised treatment with mesalazine (PUCAI 10-30) oral corticosteroids (PUCAI 35-60), or intravenous corticosteroids (PUCAI ≥65). The key outcomes for this analysis were week 12 corticosteroid-free remission, defined as PUCAI less than 10 and taking only mesalazine, and treatment escalation during the 12 study weeks to anti-tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) agents, immunomodulators, or colectomy among those initially treated with intravenous corticosteroids. We identified independent predictors of outcome through multivariable logistic regression using a per-protocol approach. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01536535. FINDINGS: Patients were recruited between July 10, 2012, and April 21, 2015. 428 children initiated mesalazine (n=136), oral corticosteroids (n=144), or intravenous corticosteroids (n=148). Initial mean PUCAI was 31·1 (SD 13·3) in children initiating with mesalazine, 50·4 (13·8) in those initiating oral corticosteroids, and 66·9 (13·7) in those initiating intravenous corticosteroids (p<0·0001 for between-group comparison). Week 12 outcome data were available for 132 patients who initiated with mesalazine, 141 with oral corticosteroids, and 143 with intravenous corticosteroids. Corticosteroid-free remission with the patient receiving mesalazine treatment only at 12 weeks was achieved by 64 (48%) patients in the mesalazine group, 47 (33%) in the oral corticosteroid group, and 30 (21%) in the intravenous corticosteroid group (p<0·0001). Treatment escalation was required by nine (7%) patients in the mesalazine group, 21 (15%) in the oral corticosteroid group, and 52 (36%) in the intravenous corticosteroid group (p<0·0001). Eight patients, all of whom were initially treated with intravenous corticosteroids, underwent colectomy. Predictors of week 12 corticosteroid-free remission were baseline PUCAI less than 35 (odds ratio 2·44, 95% CI 1·41-4·22; p=0·0015), higher baseline albumin by 1 g/dL increments among children younger than 12 years (4·05, 1·90-8·64; p=0·00030), and week 4 remission (6·26, 3·79-10·35; p<0·0001). Predictors of treatment escalation by week 12 in patients initially treated with intravenous corticosteroids included baseline total Mayo score of 11 or higher (2·59, 0·93-7·21; p=0·068 [retained in model due to clinical relevance]), rectal biopsy eosinophil count less than or equal to 32 cells per high power field (4·55, 1·62-12·78; p=0·0040), rectal biopsy surface villiform changes (3·05, 1·09-8·56; p=0·034), and not achieving week 4 remission (30·28, 6·36-144·20; p<0·0001). INTERPRETATION: Our findings provide guidelines to assess the response of children newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis to standardised initial therapy and identify predictors of treatment response and failure. These data suggest that additional therapeutic interventions might be warranted to improve early outcomes, especially in patients presenting with severe disease and requiring intravenous corticosteroids. FUNDING: National Institutes of Health.

Clinical Presentation and Five-Year Therapeutic Management of Very Early-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Large North American Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the presentation, therapeutic management, and long-term outcome of children with very early-onset (VEO) (≤ 5 years of age) inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). STUDY DESIGN: Data were obtained from an inception cohort of 1928 children with IBD enrolled in a prospective observational registry at multiple centers in North America. RESULTS: One hundred twelve children were ≤ 5 years of age with no child enrolled at <1 year of age. Of those, 42.9% had Crohn's disease (CD), 46.4% ulcerative colitis (UC), and 10.7% had IBD-unclassified. Among the children with CD, children 1-5 years of age had more isolated colonic disease (39.6%) compared with 6- to 10-year-olds (25.3%, P = .04), and 11- to 16-year-olds (22.3%, P < .01). The change from a presenting colon-only phenotype to ileocolonic began at 6-10 years. Children 1-5 years of age with CD had milder disease activity (45.8%) at diagnosis compared with the oldest group (28%, P = .01). Five years postdiagnosis, there was no difference in disease activity among the 3 groups. However, compared with the oldest group, a greater proportion of 1- to 5-year-olds with CD were receiving corticosteroids (P < .01) and methotrexate (P < .01), and a greater proportion of 1- to 5-year-olds with UC were receiving mesalamine (P < .0001) and thiopurine immunomodulators (P < .0002). CONCLUSIONS: Children with VEO-CD are more likely to have mild disease at diagnosis and present with a colonic phenotype with change to an ileocolonic phenotype noted at 6-10 years of age. Five years after diagnosis, children with VEO-CD and VEO-UC are more likely to have been administered corticosteroids and immunomodulators despite similar disease activity in all age groups. This may suggest development of a more aggressive disease phenotype over time.

Concomitant Use of Immunomodulators Affects the Durability of Infliximab Therapy in Children With Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: It is important to determine the effects of immunomodulators on the ability of children to remain on infliximab therapy for Crohn's disease (durability of therapy), given the potential benefits and risks of concomitant therapy-especially with thiopurines in male patients. We investigated how immunomodulatory treatment affects the durability of infliximab therapy. METHODS: We collected data from the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Collaborative Research Group Registry, from January 2002 through August 2014, on 502 children with Crohn's disease who participated in a prospective multicenter study. Data were collected from patients who received at least a 3-dose induction regimen of infliximab, and their concomitant use of immunomodulators: no thiopurine or methotrexate treatment, treatment for 6 months or less during infliximab therapy, or treatment for more than 6 months during infliximab therapy. RESULTS: The probabilities (± standard error) that children remained on infliximab therapy for 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years after the treatment began were 0.84 ± 0.02, 0.69 ± 0.03, and 0.60 ± 0.03, respectively. Age, sex, and disease extent or location did not affect the durability of infliximab therapy. Greater length of concomitant use of immunomodulators was associated with increased time of infliximab therapy. The probability that patients with more than 6 months of immunomodulator use remained on infliximab therapy for 5 years was 0.70 ± 0.04, compared with 0.48 ± 0.08 for patients who did not receive immunomodulators and 0.55 ± 0.06 for patients who received immunomodulators for 6 months or less (P < .001). In boys who received immunomodulators for 6 months or more after starting infliximab, the overall durability of infliximab therapy was greater among patients receiving methotrexate than thiopurine (P < .01); the probabilities that they remained on infliximab therapy for 5 years were 0.97 ± 0.03 vs 0.58 ± 0.08, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In children with Crohn's disease, concomitant treatment with an immunomodulator for more than 6 months after starting infliximab therapy increases the chances that patients will remain on infliximab. In boys, methotrexate appears to increase the durability of infliximab therapy compared with thiopurine.

Liver enzyme elevations within 3 months of diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease and likelihood of liver disease.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease-associated liver diseases (IBD-LDs) include autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and an overlap syndrome. Prospective unbiased multicenter data regarding the frequency of IBD-LD in patients with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are lacking. We examined early alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) elevations in children diagnosed as having IBD and assessed the likelihood of IBD-LD. METHODS: Data collected from the prospective observational Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Collaborative Research Group Registry enrolling children of age <16 years within 30 days of diagnosis. AIH, PSC, and overlap syndrome were diagnosed using local institutional criteria. RESULTS: A total of 1569 subjects had liver enzymes available. Of the total, 757 had both ALT and GGT, 800 had ALT only (no GGT), and 12 had GGT only (no ALT). Overall, 29 of 1569 patients (1.8%) had IBD-LD. IBD-LD was diagnosed in 1 of 661 (0.15%) of patients with both ALT and GGT ≤ 50 IU/L compared with 21 of 42 (50%) of patients with both ALT and GGT > 50 (odds ratio 660, P < 0.0001). Of the 29 patients with IBD-LD, 21 had PSC, 2 had AIH, and 6 had overlap syndrome. IBD-LD was more common in patients with ulcerative colitis and IBD-unclassified (indeterminate colitis) than in those with Crohn disease (4% vs 0.8%, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Elevation of both ALT and GGT within 90 days after the diagnosis of IBD is associated with a markedly increased likelihood of IBD-LD. Both ALT and GGT levels should be measured in all of the pediatric patients newly diagnosed as having IBD.

Outcome following aminosalicylate therapy in children newly diagnosed as having ulcerative colitis.

OBJECTIVES: Despite a paucity of published supporting data, 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) use in pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) is common. The present study describes the use and outcome of a large multicenter inception cohort of children with UC treated with 5-ASA. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Collaborative Research Group Registry, a prospective North American observational study of children newly diagnosed as having inflammatory bowel disease ages 16 years or younger. Patient data are recorded at diagnosis, 30 days, and then quarterly. Patients are managed by physician dictate, not protocol. Disease activity is classified by physician global assessment. The primary outcome examined was corticosteroid (CS) free, inactive UC at 1 year following initiation of 5-ASA within 30 days of diagnosis (with or without concomitant CS use) without the need for rescue therapy (immunomodulators, biologics, or colectomy). RESULTS: Study subjects included 213 patients newly diagnosed as having UC who received oral 5-ASA compounds (115 of whom also received CS) during the first 30 days after diagnosis, and no other oral therapies for the treatment of UC. Of these 213 patients, 86 (40%) were CS free and physician global assessment inactive at 1 year without rescue. Outcome was not associated with disease severity at diagnosis, demographic or laboratory factors examined, or initial dose of 5-ASA used. CONCLUSIONS: Forty percent of children taking 5-ASA as primary maintenance therapy at diagnosis are in CS-free remission after 1 year of treatment. Further pediatric studies will be needed to address whether increased adherence and/or higher dosing schedules will improve outcomes.

Outcome following thiopurine use in children with ulcerative colitis: a prospective multicenter registry study.

OBJECTIVES: Despite little supporting data, thiopurine use is common in pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC). Our aim was to determine outcome following thiopurine use in a multicenter inception cohort of children diagnosed with UC. METHODS: Data were obtained from a prospective observational study of newly diagnosed children <16 years of age. Data are recorded at diagnosis, 30 days, and quarterly. Patients are managed by physician dictates not protocol. Disease activity is classified by physician global assessment. The primary outcome was corticosteroid (CS)-free inactive UC at 1 year following thiopurine initiation without the need for rescue therapy (infliximab, calcineurin inhibitors, or colectomy). RESULTS: Of 1,490 patients in our registry, 394 have UC (mean age at diagnosis 11.3±3.7 years); 197 (50%) received thiopurine (49% ≤3 months from diagnosis). Also, 84% were receiving CSs and 60% 5-aminosalicylates at thiopurine start. Of the 197 patients, there was insufficient follow-up (41), previous or concomitant use of infliximab (16), or calcineurin inhibitor (7), leaving 133 patients evaluable at 1 year. Of these, 65 (49%) had CS-free inactive UC without rescue therapy. CS-free inactive disease at 1 year after initiating thiopurine was not affected by starting thiopurine ≤3 months vs. >3 months from diagnosis, gender, age, or concomitant treatment with 5-aminosalicylates. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the likelihood of remaining free of rescue therapy in the thiopurine-treated patients was 73% at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 50% of children with UC starting thiopurine without previous or concomitant biologic or calcineurin inhibitor therapy have CS-free inactive disease 1 year later without the need for rescue therapy.

Esophageal stenting in children: indications, application, effectiveness, and complications.

BACKGROUND: Use of esophageal stents is uncommon in children, and there are few reports. We report the first experience in predominantly small children and infants with retrievable, flexible stents designed for tracheobronchial use. OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of initial experience with placement of esophageal stents for benign esophageal disorders in children. DESIGN: A retrospective study. SETTING: A pediatric, academic, tertiary-referral center. PATIENTS: This study involved 7 pediatric patients. INTERVENTIONS: Covered tracheobronchial stents were endoscopically placed in pediatric patients with benign esophageal conditions. Removal involved using forceps to pull the purse-string suture into the endoscope channel and collapsing the top of the stent for easy removal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of performing endoscopic stent placement in children and to establish criteria for early stent removal. RESULTS: Six of 7 patients benefitted from stenting. There were no complications of placement. Novel techniques were developed for difficult retrievals. One patient did not benefit from esophageal stent placement, because the stent migrated downward from the uppermost part of the esophagus. One patient had some gagging, which led to early removal of the stent. A stent was removed emergently in 1 patient for respiratory distress. LIMITATION: Small number of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Retrievable, covered stents are easily placed and removed from the esophagus in small children. They should be considered for severe unrelenting strictures, especially when associated with esophageal leaks. A need exists for development of esophageal stents designed for pediatric use.

Treatment options for cyclic vomiting syndrome.

Since its initial description nearly two centuries ago, treatment of idiopathic cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) remains largely empiric because of its obscure pathogenesis and the paucity of controlled therapeutic trials. Despite these challenges, this report reviews open-label trials, retrospective case series, and upcoming consensus guidelines to update the treatment. The treatment approach to a patient with CVS should include consideration of lifestyle changes including avoidance of potential triggers, prophylactic drug therapy to prevent subsequent episodes, abortive and/or supportive care treatment during acute episodes, and support of the family. The mainstays of drug therapy include antimigraine, anti-emetic, and anticonvulsive medications used for prophylactic, abortive, and supportive therapy, with reported efficacies of between 40% and 90%. Prophylactic antimigraine and anticonvulsive agents are used to prevent episodes. Antimigraine triptans are used to abort episodes. Antiemetic agents can reduce the severity of episodes and are best used in conjunction with sedatives.