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Inflammatory bowel disease encompasses Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and is characterized by uncontrolled, relapsing, and remitting course of inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Artificial intelligence represents a new era within the field of gastroenterology, and the amount of research surrounding artificial intelligence in patients with inflammatory bowel disease is on the rise. As clinical trial outcomes and treatment targets evolve in inflammatory bowel disease, artificial intelligence may prove as a valuable tool for providing accurate, consistent, and reproducible evaluations of endoscopic appearance and histologic activity, thereby optimizing the diagnosis process and identifying disease severity. Furthermore, as the applications of artificial intelligence for inflammatory bowel disease continue to expand, they may present an ideal opportunity for improving disease management by predicting treatment response to biologic therapies and for refining the standard of care by setting the basis for future treatment personalization and cost reduction. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the unmet needs in the management of inflammatory bowel disease in clinical practice and how artificial intelligence tools can address these gaps to transform patient care.

Background & Aims: New oral therapeutic agents are needed for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) who are unresponsive or intolerant to conventional therapy., Methods: We performed a double-blind, phase 2 trial of adults with active UC for 3 months or more who were naïve to biologic therapy or had been failed by, could not tolerate, or had contraindications to conventional therapies. The study was performed at 61 sites in 14 countries (screening from January 2015 through May 2017). Patients were randomly assigned to groups given apremilast 30 mg (n = 57), apremilast 40 mg (n = 55), or placebo (n = 58) twice daily for 12 weeks; patients were then randomly assigned to groups that received apremilast, 30 or 40 mg twice daily, for an additional 40 weeks. Endoscopies were performed and biopsies were collected during the screening phase, at week 12, and at week 52. Blood and fecal samples were also collected and analyzed throughout the study. The primary endpoint was clinical remission at week 12, defined as a total Mayo score of 2 or less, with no individual subscore above 1., Results: Clinical remission was achieved at week 12 by 31.6% of patients in the 30 mg apremilast group and 12.1% of patients in the placebo group (P = .01). However, only 21.8% of patients in the 40 mg apremilast group achieved clinical remission at week 12 (P = .27 compared with placebo). Differences in clinical remission between the 30 mg and 40 mg apremilast groups were associated with differences in endoscopic improvement. Both apremilast groups had similar improvements from baseline in Mayo score components (stool frequency score, rectal bleeding score, physician's global assessment). The 30 mg and 40 mg apremilast groups had greater median percent reductions in C-reactive protein (measured by a high-sensitivity blood test) and fecal calprotectin through week 12 than the placebo group. At week 52, clinical remission was achieved by 40.4% of patients initially assigned to the apremilast 30 mg group and 32.7% of patients initially assigned to the apremilast 40 mg group. The most frequent apremilast-associated adverse events were headache and nausea., Conclusions: Although the primary endpoint of clinical remission was not met in this phase 2 trial, a greater proportion of patients with active UC who received apremilast (30 mg or 40 mg) had improvements in clinical and endoscopic features, and markers of inflammation, at 12 weeks. Clinical remission was maintained to week 52 in up to 40% of patients who continued apremilast until that time point. ClinicalTrials.gov no: NCT02289417., (Copyright © 2020 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

GED-0301 is an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide with a sequence complementary to the Smad7 mRNA transcript. Smad7 is a negative regulator of transforming growth factor-β, which is increased in the intestinal mucosa of patients with active Crohn's disease (CD). We randomly assigned 63 CD patients to 4-, 8-, or 12-week treatment groups receiving oral GED-0301 (160 mg/day). The primary objective was to determine GED-0301's effect on endoscopic CD measures; secondary objectives included effects on clinical activity. Endoscopic improvement was observed in 37% of participants with evaluable endoscopy results at week 12. At week 12, 32% (4 weeks), 35% (8 weeks), and 48% (12 weeks) of patients receiving GED-0301 were in remission (CD activity index score <150); corresponding reductions from baseline in mean CD activity index scores were -124, -112, and -133 points. No new safety signals were observed. These findings support a GED-0301 benefit in active CD. ClinicalTrials.gov no: NCT02367183., (Copyright © 2018 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In a phase 2 study, mongersen, an oral antisense oligonucleotide targeting Smad7, was effective in inducing clinical remission in approximately 60% of patients with active Crohn's disease (CD)., Aim: In a post hoc analysis to evaluate those patient disease characteristics that may have influenced the efficacy and safety of mongersen therapy., Methods: Patients with steroid-dependent/resistant, active CD were randomised to mongersen 10, 40 or 160 mg/day or placebo for 2 weeks; patients were followed for 10 weeks. Clinical remission [Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) score <150] and clinical response (CDAI score reduction ≥100 points) were assessed at weeks 2, 4 and 12 for these subgroups: disease duration <5/≥5 years, human serum C-reactive protein (hsCRP) <3/≥3 mg/L, and CDAI at baseline ≤260/>260. Additional patient baseline and disease characteristics were explored., Results: Clinical remission and response rates were significantly higher in patients receiving mongersen 40 and 160 mg/day but not 10 mg/day vs. placebo and independent of disease duration and hsCRP. Patients with baseline CDAI ≤260 had significantly higher remission rates with 40 and 160 mg/day. In patients with baseline CDAI >260, remission rates were statistically greater with 160 mg/day and numerically better with 40 mg/day vs. placebo. Adverse event rates were similar across treatment groups. Mongersen was safe and well tolerated., Conclusions: Patients with higher CDAI scores achieved clinical remission most frequently with the highest mongersen dose. Disease duration and baseline human serum C-reactive protein did not appear to significantly impact efficacy of mongersen in this study (EudraCT Number: 2011-002640-27.)., (© 2016 The Authors. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims/hypothesis: Canagliflozin, a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor, reduces HbA1c, body weight and systolic BP (SBP) in patients with type 2 diabetes. As weight loss is known to reduce both HbA1c and SBP, these analyses were performed to evaluate the contribution of weight loss resulting from treatment with canagliflozin to HbA1c and SBP reductions in patients with type 2 diabetes., Methods: Pooled data from four placebo-controlled Phase 3 studies (N = 2,250) in patients with type 2 diabetes were used in the analyses. In each study, patients were treated with placebo, canagliflozin 100 mg or canagliflozin 300 mg, once daily for 26 weeks. Changes from baseline in body weight, HbA1c and SBP were measured at week 26, and the contribution of weight loss to the lowering of HbA1c and SBP was obtained using ANCOVA., Results: Canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg reduced mean body weight, HbA1c and SBP compared with placebo (p < 0.001 for each), and more patients had body-weight reductions >0%, ≥5% and ≥10% with canagliflozin treatment than with placebo. Weight-loss-independent and weight-loss-associated mechanisms contributed to HbA1c and SBP lowering with canagliflozin: ~85% of HbA1c lowering and ~60% of SBP lowering was independent of weight loss., Conclusions/interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes, canagliflozin provided clinically meaningful body-weight reductions, and the weight loss contributed to reductions in HbA1c and SBP.

Background: Canagliflozin is a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor developed for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The efficacy and safety of canagliflozin were evaluated in patients with T2DM <65 and ≥65 years of age., Methods: Pooled data from 4 randomised, placebo-controlled, 26-week, Phase 3 studies (N = 2,313) evaluating canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg were analysed by age: <65 years (n = 1,868; mean age, 52.8 years) or ≥65 years (n = 445; mean age, 69.3 years). Efficacy evaluations included change from baseline in glycaemic parameters and systolic blood pressure (BP), and percent change from baseline in body weight. Assessment of safety/tolerability included adverse event (AE) reports, incidence of documented hypoglycaemia, and percent change from baseline in fasting plasma lipids., Results: Canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg reduced HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose relative to placebo in patients <65 and ≥65 years of age. Both canagliflozin doses reduced body weight and systolic BP relative to placebo in patients <65 and ≥65 years of age. Incidence of overall AEs was similar across all treatment groups in patients <65 and ≥65 years of age. Incidences of serious AEs and AE-related discontinuations were similar across all treatment groups in patients <65 years of age and higher with canagliflozin 100 mg than other groups in patients ≥65 years of age. As in patients <65 years of age, incidences of genital mycotic infections and osmotic diuresis-related AEs were higher with canagliflozin relative to placebo in those ≥65 years of age. Incidences of urinary tract infections (UTIs), renal-related AEs, AEs related to volume depletion, and documented hypoglycaemia episodes were similar across all treatment groups in patients ≥65 years of age; no notable trends were observed with canagliflozin 100 and 300 mg relative to placebo in these AEs among patients <65 years of age. Changes in lipid parameters with canagliflozin were similar in both age subsets., Conclusions: Canagliflozin improved glycaemic control, body weight, and systolic BP, and was generally well tolerated in older patients with T2DM., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01081834; NCT01106677; NCT01106625; NCT01106690.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of canagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, in type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled with metformin monotherapy., Research Design and Methods: This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicenter, dose-ranging study in 451 subjects randomized to canagliflozin 50, 100, 200, or 300 mg once daily (QD) or 300 mg twice daily (BID), sitagliptin 100 mg QD, or placebo. Primary end point was change in A1C from baseline through week 12. Secondary end points included change in fasting plasma glucose (FPG), body weight, and overnight urinary glucose-to-creatinine ratio. Safety and tolerability were also assessed., Results: Canagliflozin was associated with significant reductions in A1C from baseline (7.6-8.0%) to week 12: -0.79, -0.76, -0.70, -0.92, and -0.95% for canagliflozin 50, 100, 200, 300 mg QD and 300 mg BID, respectively, versus -0.22% for placebo (all P < 0.001) and -0.74% for sitagliptin. FPG was reduced by -16 to -27 mg/dL, and body weight was reduced by -2.3 to -3.4%, with significant increases in urinary glucose-to-creatinine ratio. Adverse events were transient, mild to moderate, and balanced across arms except for a non-dose-dependent increase in symptomatic genital infections with canagliflozin (3-8%) versus placebo and sitagliptin (2%). Urinary tract infections were reported without dose dependency in 3-9% of canagliflozin, 6% of placebo, and 2% of sitagliptin arms. Overall incidence of hypoglycemia was low., Conclusions: Canagliflozin added onto metformin significantly improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetes and was associated with low incidence of hypoglycemia and significant weight loss. The safety/tolerability profile of canagliflozin was favorable except for increased frequency of genital infections in females.

Two distinct syndromes of osteoporosis have been postulated: type I, which is characterized by accelerated bone loss occurring in women during the early postmenopausal period; and type II, an age-related process of bone loss affecting both men and women in and after the seventh decade. Recently there has been indirect evidence linking local products of the immune system with bone remodeling. We therefore studied peripheral blood profiles of specific lymphocyte phenotypes in women with type I osteoporosis and in older women and men with type II osteoporosis. The ratio of CD4-bearing (T helper) cells to CD8-bearing (T cytotoxic-suppressor) cells (CD4/CD8 ratio) was elevated in women with symptomatic type I disease. In addition there was a significant negative correlation (r = -0.62, P less than 0.001) between the CD4/CD8 ratio and the spinal bone mineral density measured by dual-photon absorptiometry. In contrast, older men with a history of fracture (hip or spine) had CD4/CD8 ratios similar to control men. The number of T cells bearing IL-2R or VLA-1 was not different between osteoporotic subjects and controls in either men or women. This study supports the concept that local products of the immune system may be directly or indirectly involved in the pathogenesis of type I osteoporosis.