How to Manage Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients When They Withdraw Anti-Tumour Necrosis Factor [Anti-TNF] Due to Severe Anti-TNF-Induced Skin Lesions? A Multicentre Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Optimal management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] after anti-tumour necrosis factor [TNF] discontinuation due to severe induced skin lesions is unclear. Our study aimed to describe dermatological and IBD evolution after anti-TNF discontinuation for this side effect. METHODS: We conducted a multicentre retrospective study including consecutive IBD patients who discontinued anti-TNF due to severe induced skin lesions. Our objectives were to determine factors associated with dermatological remission [complete disappearance of skin lesions] and with IBD relapse in patients with inactive disease at inclusion, notably the impact of an early switch to another biological agent within 3 months of anti-TNF discontinuation. RESULTS: Among the 181 patients [134 women, 160 Crohn's disease] included in the 13 participating centres, dermatological remission occurred in 110 [62%] patients with a median [interquartile range, IQR] interval of 8.0 [6.8-11.0] months. Scalp location was independently associated with less remission of skin lesions (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.64 [95% CI 0.43-0.94], p = 0.02) while early switch was independently associated with a higher probability of remission of skin lesions (HR = 1.64 [95% CI 1.1-2.5], p = 0.02). Among the 148 patients with inactive IBD at inclusion, disease relapse occurred in 75 [51%] patients with a median [IQR] interval of 26.0 [23.0-39.1] months. Survival rates without IBD relapse at 1 year were 85.8% [95% CI 77.5-94.9] in the early switch group and 59.3% [95% CI 48.9-71.9] in the other group [p < 0.01]. CONCLUSIONS: Early switch to a new biological is associated with a higher probability of healing of anti-TNF-induced skin lesions and significantly reduces the risk of IBD relapse.

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.