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ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe the long-term health outcomes of children born to mothers with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to assess the impact of maternal IBD medication use on these outcomes.DesignWe performed a multicentre retrospective study in The Netherlands. Women with IBD who gave birth between 1999 and 2018 were enrolled from 20 participating hospitals. Information regarding disease characteristics, medication use, lifestyle, pregnancy outcomes and long-term health outcomes of children was retrieved from mothers and medical charts. After consent of both parents, outcomes until 5 years were also collected from general practitioners. Our primary aim was to assess infection rate and our secondary aims were to assess adverse reactions to vaccinations, growth, autoimmune diseases and malignancies.ResultsWe included 1000 children born to 626 mothers (381 (61%) Crohn’s disease, 225 (36%) ulcerative colitis and 20 (3%) IBD unclassified). In total, 196 (20%) had intrauterine exposure to anti-tumour necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF-α) (60 with concomitant thiopurine) and 240 (24%) were exposed to thiopurine monotherapy. The 564 children (56%) not exposed to anti-TNF-α and/or thiopurine served as control group. There was no association between adverse long-term health outcomes and in utero exposure to IBD treatment. We did find an increased rate of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) in case thiopurine was used during the pregnancy without affecting birth outcomes and long-term health outcomes of children. All outcomes correspond with the general age-adjusted population.ConclusionIn our study, we found no association between in utero exposure to anti-TNF-α and/or thiopurine and the long-term outcomes antibiotic-treated infections, severe infections needing hospital admission, adverse reactions to vaccinations, growth failure, autoimmune diseases and malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Off-label prescribing is encountered across various fields of medicine and creates alternative treatment options, but is associated with unknown safety risks. The use of off-label drugs for the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has not been characterised before.AIM: To assess the proportion and characteristics of off-label prescribing for IBD in tertiary care centres in the Netherlands.METHODS: A prospective database of IBD patients from all Dutch university hospitals was used to collect data on drug prescriptions for IBD and demographics. Drugs were classified as off-label if they were unlicensed for Crohn's disease and/or ulcerative colitis by the Medicines Evaluation Board. Uni- and multivariable analyses were used to identify patient-specific characteristics predictive of increased off-label use.RESULTS: For the induction and/or maintenance treatment of 4583 IBD patients, 12 651 historical and current drug records were available in the database. Of these, 2374 (19%) were considered off-label prescriptions. Out of 4583 IBD patients, 1477 (32%) were exposed to off-label drugs. Commonly prescribed off-label IBD drugs were mercaptopurine (18%), beclomethasone (12%), thioguanine (4%) and allopurinol (3%). Non-thiopurine/methotrexate off-label drugs were prescribed in 243 patients (6%), including biological agents or tofacitinib in 47 IBD patients (1%). Off-label prescriptions were more common in ulcerative colitis than Crohn's disease (37% vs 29%, P < 0.001). Smokers and patients that received ≥5 drug types during their disease course were more likely to be exposed to off-label drugs (smoking 33% vs 27% and multiple drug use 66% vs 22%, both P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: About one-fifth of prescriptions for IBD were off-label and one-third of IBD patients, especially ulcerative colitis patients, were exposed to off-label drugs.

The global prevalence of cancer is increasing, largely as more patients are living into old age. Therefore, gastroenterologists caring for patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] increasingly are managing patients with cancer, or a previous history of cancer. This often requires joint management with the patient’s oncologist, enabling case-by-case decision-making based on the characteristics and expected evolution of the index cancer. Previously, no European guidelines existed describing the impact of IBD on malignancy. For this reason, the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation [ECCO] Guidelines Committee [GuiCom] decided to elaborate a set of Consensus Statements on optimal risk/benefit strategies for treating IBD patients with cancer or a history of cancer. The development of clinical practice guidelines is expensive and time consuming, and it is the Committee’s hope that these statements will facilitate and accelerate future efforts to elaborate formal guidelines, providing useful information on areas for which evidence is lacking and where controlled studies are needed. The strategy used to produce the Consensus Statements involved five steps: 1. Two members of Guicom [VA and RE] identified four main topics that needed to be addressed: a] IBD and solid tumours; b] IBD and skin and haematological malignancies; c] malignancy related to therapy: risk and prevention; and d] management of IBD patients with a history of malignancy. During 2014, calls for participation in the drafting of consensus statements were issued to ECCO members, and selected oncologists known for their expertise and active research in the field were invited to join the Consensus. Participants were selected by the Committee, and four working groups were created, each composed of a chairperson [LE, RE, LB, and VA], two ECCO members including young members [Y-ECCO], and one or two experienced oncologists. The chairmen and their groups elaborated relevant questions on topics dealing with current practice and/or areas …

SummaryBackground Microscopic colitis (MC) is a chronic bowel disorder characterised by watery diarrhoea. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and statins have been associated with MC. However, underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Aim To study the association between exposure to these drugs and MC, with attention to time of exposure, duration, dosage and combined exposure, and to test hypotheses on underlying pharmacological mechanisms. Methods A case–control study was conducted using the British Clinical Practice Research Datalink. MC cases (1992–2013) were matched to MC-naive controls on age, sex and GP practice. Drug exposure was stratified according to time of exposure, duration of exposure or dosage. Conditional logistic regression analysis was applied to calculate adjusted odds ratios (AORs). Results In total, 1211 cases with MC were matched to 6041 controls. Mean age was 63.4 years, with 73.2% being female. Current use of NSAIDs (AOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.39–2.49), PPIs (AOR 3.37, 95% CI 2.77–4.09) or SSRIs (AOR 2.03, 95% CI 1.58–2.61) was associated with MC compared to never or past use. Continuous use for 4–12 months further increased the risk of MC. Strongest associations (fivefold increased risk) were observed for concomitant use of PPIs and NSAIDs. Statins were not associated with MC. Conclusions Current exposure to NSAIDs, PPIs or SSRIs and prolonged use for 4–12 months increased the risk of MC. Concomitant use of NSAIDs and PPIs showed the highest risk of MC. Acid suppression related dysbiosis may contribute to the PPI effect, which may be exacerbated by NSAID-related side-effects.

Item does not contain fulltext Background and Aims: Crohn's disease [CD] is a chronic inflammatory disease with unpredictable behaviour. More than half of CD patients eventually develop complications such as stenosis, for which they then require endoscopic dilatation or surgery, as no anti-fibrotic drugs are currently available. We aim to identify disease-modifying genes associated with fibrostenotic CD. Methods: We performed a within-case analysis comparing 'extreme phenotypes' using the Immunochip and replication of the top single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] with Agena Bioscience in two independent case-control cohorts totalling 322 cases with fibrostenotis [recurrent after surgery] and 619 cases with purely inflammatory CD. Results: Combined meta-analysis resulted in a genome-wide significant signal for SNP rs11861007 [p = 6.0910-11], located on chromosome 16, in lncRNA RP11-679B19.1, an lncRNA of unknown function, and close to exon 9 of the WWOX gene, which codes for WW domain-containing oxidoreductase. We analysed mRNA expression of TGF-beta and downstream genes in ileocecal resection material from ten patients with and without the WWOX risk allele. Patients carrying the risk allele [A] showed enhanced colonic expression of TGF-beta compared to patients homozygous for the wild-type [G] allele [p = 0.0079]. Conclusion: We have identified a variant in WWOX and in lncRNA RP11-679B19.1 as a disease-modifying genetic variant associated with recurrent fibrostenotic CD and replicated this association in an independent cohort. WWOX can potentially play a crucial role in fibrostenosis in CD, being positioned at the crossroads of inflammation and fibrosis.

Item does not contain fulltext BACKGROUND: The inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) disability index has recently been introduced to measure patients' physical, psychological, familial, and social limitations associated with IBD. We assessed factors related to self-reported disability and the relationship between disability and direct health care costs. METHODS: A large cohort of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) was prospectively followed for 2 years by 3 monthly web-based questionnaires. At 2 years, patients completed the IBD disability index, with lower score indicating more disability. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the impact of demographics, clinical characteristics, and illness perceptions on self-reported disability. Trends in direct health care costs across the disability severity groups minimal, mild, moderate, and severe, were tested. RESULTS: A total of 554 patients with CD and 424 patients with UC completed the IBD disability index (response rate, 45%). Both clinical characteristics and illness perceptions significantly contributed to self-reported disability (45%-47%, P = 0.000 and 8%-12%, P = 0.000, respectively). Patients with CD scored lower on the self-reported IBD disability index than patients with UC (0.255 versus 3.890, P < 0.000), indicating more disability in patients with CD. Factors independently associated with higher self-reported disability rates were increased disease activity, illness identity (higher number of symptoms attributed to IBD), and stronger emotional response. Disease duration and disease phenotype were not associated with self-reported disability. Direct health care costs increased with the worsening of self-reported disability (P = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: More disability was reported by patients with CD than by UC. Self-reported disability in IBD was mainly determined by clinical disease activity and illness perceptions but not by disease duration or disease phenotype.

Contains fulltext : 181792pub.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) BACKGROUND: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk to develop malignant melanoma and this risk may increase with use of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. Impaired survival of immunosuppressed melanoma patients is reported in transplant and rheumatology patients. This study aims to (1) identify risk factors for melanoma development in patients with IBD, (2) compare clinical characteristics of melanoma in patients with IBD to the general population, and (3) assess the influence of immunosuppressive medication on survival. METHODS: We retrospectively searched the Dutch Pathology Database to identify all Dutch patients with IBD with cutaneous melanoma between January 1991 and December 2011. We then performed 2 case-control studies. To identify risk factors for melanoma development in IBD, we compared patients with IBD with melanoma to the general IBD population. To compare outcome and survival after melanoma diagnosis, we compared cases with non-IBD melanoma patients. RESULTS: We included 304 patients with IBD with melanoma, 1800 IBD controls, and 8177 melanoma controls. IBD cases had more extensive IBD (ulcerative colitis: pancolitis: cases 44.5% versus IBD controls without melanoma 28.1%; P < 0.01; Crohn's disease: ileal and colonic disease: cases 57.9% versus controls 48.9%; P = 0.02). Despite a lower Nodes (N)-stage in patients with IBD (N1+ 8.3% versus 18.2%; P < 0.01) with comparable Tumor (T) and Metastasis (M) stages, survival was similar between groups, regardless of immunosuppressive or anti-TNF therapy. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that IBD extent is a risk factor for melanoma development. Despite the lower N-stage in patients with IBD, we could not confirm impaired survival after melanoma in patients with IBD, regardless of anti-TNF and/or thiopurine use.

Background and Aims: Smoking affects the course of inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. We aimed to study the impact of smoking on IBD-specific costs and health-related quality-of-life [HrQoL] among adults with Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC].Methods: A large cohort of IBD patients was prospectively followed during 1 year using 3-monthly questionnaires on smoking status, health resources, disease activity and HrQoL. Costs were calculated by multiplying used resources with corresponding unit prices. Healthcare costs, patient costs, productivity losses, disease course items and HrQoL were compared between smokers, never-smokers and ex-smokers, adjusted for potential confounders.Results: In total, 3030 patients [1558 CD, 1054 UC, 418 IBD-unknown] were enrolled; 16% smoked at baseline. In CD, disease course was more severe among smokers. Smoking was associated with > 30% higher annual societal costs in IBD ((sic) 7,905 [95% confidence interval (sic) 6,234 -(sic) 9,864] vs (sic) 6,017 [(sic) 5,186 -(sic) 6,946] in never-smokers and (sic) 5,710 [(sic) 4,687 -(sic) 6,878] in ex-smokers, p = 0.06 and p = 0.04, respectively). In CD, smoking patients generated the highest societal costs, primarily driven by the use of anti-tumour necrosis factor compounds. In UC, societal costs of smoking patients were comparable to those of non-smokers. Societal costs of IBD patients who quitted smoking > 5 years before inclusion were lower than in patients who quitted within the past 5 years ((sic) 5,135 [95% CI (sic) 4,122 -(sic) 6,303] vs (sic) 9,342 [(sic) 6,010 -(sic) 12,788], p = 0.01). In both CD and UC, smoking was associated with a lower HrQoL.Conclusions: Smoking is associated with higher societal costs and lower HrQoL in IBD patients. Smoking cessation may result in considerably lower societal costs.

Item does not contain fulltext BACKGROUND: Nonadherence to medical therapy is frequently encountered in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to identify predictors for future (non)adherence in IBD. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter prospective cohort study with adult patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Data were collected by means of 3-monthly questionnaires on the course of disease and healthcare utilization. Medication adherence was assessed using a visual analogue scale, ranging from 0% to 100%. Levels

AIM: To validate the Montreal classification system for Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) within the Netherlands.METHODS: A selection of 20 de-identified medical records with an appropriate representation of the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) sub phenotypes were scored by 30 observers with different professions (gastroenterologist specialist in IBD, gastroenterologist in training and IBD-nurses) and experience level with IBD patient care. Patients were classified according to the Montreal classification. In addition, participants were asked to score extra-intestinal manifestations (EIM) and disease severity in CD based on their clinical judgment. The inter-observer agreement was calculated by percentages of correct answers (answers identical to the "expert evaluation") and Fleiss-kappa (kappa). Kappa cutoffs: 0.8 excellent.RESULTS: The inter-observer agreement was excellent for diagnosis (kappa = 0.96), perianal disease (kappa = 0.92) and disease location in CD (kappa = 0.82) and good for age of onset (kappa = 0.67), upper gastrointestinal disease ( kappa = 0.62), disease behaviour in CD (kappa = 0.79) and disease extent in UC (kappa = 0.65). Disease severity in UC was scored poor (kappa = 0.23). The additional items resulted in a good inter-observer agreement for EIM (kappa = 0.68) and a moderate agreement for disease severity in CD ( kappa = 0.44). Percentages of correct answers over all Montreal items give a good reflection of the inter-observer agreement (> 80%), except for disease severity (48%-74%). IBD-nurses were significantly worse in scoring upper gastrointestinal disease in CD compared to gastroenterologists (P = 0.008) and gastroenterologists in training (P = 0.040). Observers with less than 10 years of experience were significantly better at scoring UC severity than observers with 10-20 years (P = 0.003) and more than 20 years (P = 0.003) of experience with IBD patient care. Observers with 10-20 years of experience with IBD patient care were significantly better at scoring upper gastrointestinal disease in CD than observers with less than 10 years (P = 0.007) and more than 20 years (P = 0.007) of experience with IBD patient care.CONCLUSION: We found a good to excellent inter-observer agreement for all Montreal items except for disease severity in UC (poor). (C) 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Item does not contain fulltext OBJECTIVE: Malignant transformation of fistulas has been observed, particularly in perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease (CD) patients. The prevalence of adenocarcinoma in enterocutaneous fistulas and non-CD-related fistulas, however, is unknown. We investigated adenocarcinoma originating from perianal and enterocutaneous fistulas in both CD patients and non-CD patients from nine large, mostly tertiary referral, hospitals in The Netherlands. METHODS: Patients suffering from fistulizing disease and either dysplasia or adenocarcinoma between January 1990 and January 2007 were identified using the nationwide automated pathology database (PALGA). Clinical and histopathological data were collected and verified using hospital patient-charts and reported by descriptive statistics. The total CD-population comprised 6058 patients. RESULTS: In a study-period of 17 years, 2324 patients with any fistula were reported in PALGA. In 542 patients, dysplasia or adenocarcinoma was also mentioned. After initial review and additional detailed chart review, 538 patients were excluded, mainly because the adenocarcinoma was not related to the fistula. In the remaining four patients, all suffering from CD, adenocarcinoma originating from the fistula-tract was confirmed. The malignancies developed 25 years (IQR 10-38) after CD diagnosis, and 10 years (IQR 6-22) after fistula diagnosis. Median age at time of adenocarcinoma diagnosis was 48.3 years (IQR 43-58). Only one patient had clinical symptoms indicative for adenocarcinoma. In three other patients, the adenocarcinoma was found coincidently. CONCLUSIONS: Adenocarcinoma complicating perianal or enterocutaneous fistula-tracts is a rare finding. Only 4 out of 6058 CD patients developed a fistula-associated adenocarcinoma. We could not identify any malignant transformations in non-CD-related fistulas in our 17 years study-period.

Background and Aims: More data are warranted on the economic impact of different treatment strategies in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. We compared the costs and quality of life of UC patients with a pouch reconstruction, an ileostomy or anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) therapy.Methods: UC patients filled out 3-monthly questionnaires for 2 years. Differences in 3-monthly healthcare costs, productivity costs and patient costs were tested using mixed model analysis. Quality of life was assessed employing the) and the inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ).Results: Out of 915 UC patients, 81 (9%) had a pouch and 48 (5%) an ileostomy, and 34 (4%) were on anti-TNF alpha therapy. Anti-TNF alpha-treated patients reported high UC related-healthcare costs per 3 months ((sic)5350). Medication use accounted for 92% of healthcare costs. UC-attributable healthcare costs were 3-fold higher in ileostomy patients compared with pouch patients ((sic)1581 versus (sic)407; p Conclusion: Patients receiving anti-TNF alpha therapy reported the highest healthcare cost, in which medication use was the major cost driver. Ileostomy patients were three times more expensive than pouch patients due to frequent hospitalization and ileostomy supplies.

Background: It is still unclear whether inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with adenomas have a higher risk of developing high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or colorectal cancer (CRC) than non-IBD patients with sporadic adenomas. We compared the risk of advanced neoplasia (AN, defined as HGD or CRC) in IBD patients with adenomas to IBD patients without adenomas and patients without IBD with adenomas.Methods: IBD patients with a histological adenoma diagnosis (IBD + adenoma), age-matched IBD patients without adenoma (IBD-nonadenoma), and adenoma patients without IBD (nonIBD + adenoma) were enrolled in this study. Medical charts were reviewed for adenoma characteristics and development of AN. The endoscopic appearance of the adenomas was characterized as typical (solitary sessile or pedunculated) or atypical (all other descriptions).Results: A total of 110 IBD + adenoma patients, 123 IBD-nonadenoma patients, and 179 nonIBD + adenoma patients were included. Mean duration of follow-up was 88 months (SD +/- 41). The 5-year cumulative risks of AN were 11%, 3%, and 5% in IBD + adenoma, IBD-nonadenoma, and nonIBD + adenoma patients, respectively (P Conclusions: IBD patients with a histological diagnosis of adenoma have a higher risk of developing AN than adenoma patients without IBD and IBD patients without adenomas. The presence of atypical adenomas in particular was associated with this increased risk, although patients with typical adenomas were found to carry an additional risk as well. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2013; 19: 342-349)

BACKGROUND In patients with Crohn's disease, the efficacy of ustekinumab, a human monoclonal antibody against interleukin-12 and interleukin-23, is unknown. METHODS We evaluated ustekinumab in adults with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease that was resistant to anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment. During induction, 526 patients were randomly assigned to receive intravenous ustekinumab (at a dose of 1, 3, or 6 mg per kilogram of body weight) or placebo at week 0. During the maintenance phase, 145 patients who had a response to ustekinumab at 6 weeks underwent a second randomization to receive subcutaneous injections of ustekinumab (90 mg) or placebo at weeks 8 and 16. The primary end point was a clinical response at 6 weeks. RESULTS The proportions of patients who reached the primary end point were 36.6%, 34.1%, and 39.7% for 1, 3, and 6 mg of ustekinumab per kilogram, respectively, as compared with 23.5% for placebo (P = 0.005 for the comparison with the 6-mg group). The rate of clinical remission with the 6-mg dose did not differ significantly from the rate with placebo at 6 weeks. Maintenance therapy with ustekinumab, as compared with placebo, resulted in significantly increased rates of clinical remission (41.7% vs. 27.4%, P = 0.03) and response (69.4% vs. 42.5%, P < 0.001) at 22 weeks. Serious infections occurred in 7 patients (6 receiving ustekinumab) during induction and 11 patients (4 receiving ustekinumab) during maintenance. Basal-cell carcinoma developed in 1 patient receiving ustekinumab. CONCLUSIONS Patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease that was resistant to TNF antagonists had an increased rate of response to induction with ustekinumab, as compared with placebo. Patients with an initial response to ustekinumab had significantly increased rates of response and remission with ustekinumab as maintenance therapy. (Funded by Janssen Research and Development; CERTIFI ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00771667.)

BACKGROUND:: Immune suppressant medications such as thiopurines and anti-tumor necrosis factor agents are important for maintaining disease control in most patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs); however, their use has been associated with the development of malignant lymphoma. The purpose of this Dutch nationwide study was to estimate the relative risk of malignant lymphoma in IBD patients. METHODS:: IBD patients who developed a lymphoma between 1997 and 2004 were identified using the Dutch National Database of PALGA. Data from confirmed cases were collected from individual hospitals, including data on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The age-adjusted 8-year incidence of malignant lymphoma in the Netherlands was retrieved from the Central Bureau of Statistics. RESULTS:: Forty-two hospitals were visited and 285 matches evaluated in the total cohort of 17,834 IBD patients. Forty-four lymphomas were observed, resulting in a relative risk of 1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92-1.68). Only 19 of 44 patients (43%) were exposed to azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine (AZA/6-MP). Remarkably, 92% of patients (11/12) with EBV-positive lymphoma used AZA/6-MP, in contrast to only 19% patients (4/21) with EBV-negative lymphoma, suggesting a strong relation between EBV-positive lymphoma and thiopurine use. CONCLUSIONS:: This nationwide study does not suggest a significant overall increased risk for lymphoma in IBD patients. A distinct correlation between EBV-positive lymphoma and AZA/6-MP use was observed. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2011;).

Item does not contain fulltext BACKGROUND: Etrolizumab is a gut-targeted anti-β7 integrin monoclonal antibody. In a previous phase 2 induction study, etrolizumab significantly improved clinical remission versus placebo in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of etrolizumab with infliximab in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. METHODS: We conducted a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group, phase 3 study (GARDENIA) across 114 treatment centres worldwide. We included adults (age 18-80 years) with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (Mayo Clinic total score [MCS] of 6-12 with an endoscopic subscore of ≥2, a rectal bleeding subscore of ≥1, and a stool frequency subscore of ≥1) who were naive to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors. Patients were required to have had an established diagnosis of ulcerative colitis for at least 3 months, corroborated by both clinical and endoscopic evidence, and evidence of disease extending at least 20 cm from the anal verge. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive subcutaneous etrolizumab 105 mg once every 4 weeks or intravenous infliximab 5 mg/kg at 0, 2, and 6 weeks and every 8 weeks thereafter for 52 weeks. Randomisation was stratified by baseline concomitant treatment with corticosteroids, concomitant treatment with immunosuppressants, and baseline disease activity. All participants and study site personnel were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who had both clinical response at week 10 (MCS ≥3-point decrease and ≥30% reduction from baseline, plus ≥1-point decrease in rectal bleeding subscore or absolute rectal bleeding score of 0 or 1) and clinical remission at week 54 (MCS ≤2, with individual subscores ≤1); efficacy was analysed using a modified intention-to-treat population (all randomised patients who received at least one dose of study drug). GARDENIA was designed to show superiority of etrolizumab over infliximab for the primary endpoint. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02136069, and is now closed to recruitment. FINDINGS: Between Dec 24, 2014, and June 23, 2020, 730 patients were screened for eligibility and 397 were enrolled and randomly assigned to etrolizumab (n=199) or infliximab (n=198). 95 (48%) patients in the etrolizumab group and 103 (52%) in the infliximab group completed the study through week 54. At week 54, 37 (18·6%) of 199 patients in the etrolizumab group and 39 (19·7%) of 198 in the infliximab group met the primary endpoint (adjusted treatment difference -0·9% [95% CI -8·7 to 6·8]; p=0·81). The number of patients reporting one or more adverse events was similar between treatment groups (154 [77%] of 199 in the etrolizumab group and 151 [76%] of 198 in the infliximab group); the most common adverse event in both groups was ulcerative colitis (55 [28%] patients in the etrolizumab group and 43 [22%] in the infliximab group). More patients in the etrolizumab group reported serious adverse events (including serious infections) than did those in the infliximab group (32 [16%] vs 20 [10%]); the most common serious adverse event was ulcerative colitis (12 [6%] and 11 [6%]). There was one death during follow-up, in the infliximab group due to a pulmonary embolism, which was not considered to be related to study treatment. INTERPRETATION: To our knowledge, this trial is the first phase 3 maintenance study in moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis to use infliximab as an active comparator. Although the study did not show statistical superiority for the primary endpoint, etrolizumab performed similarly to infliximab from a clinical viewpoint. FUNDING: F Hoffmann-La Roche.

Summary Background Etrolizumab is a gut-targeted, anti-β7 integrin, monoclonal antibody. In an earlier phase 2 induction study, etrolizumab significantly improved clinical remission compared with placebo in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of etrolizumab in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who had been previously treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents. Methods HICKORY was a multicentre, phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in adult (18–80 years) patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (Mayo Clinic total score [MCS] of 6–12 with an endoscopic subscore of ≥2, a rectal bleeding subscore of ≥1, and a stool frequency subscore of ≥1) previously treated with TNF inhibitors. Patients were recruited from 184 treatment centres across 24 countries in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East. Patients needed to have an established diagnosis of ulcerative colitis for at least 3 months, corroborated by both clinical and endoscopic evidence, and evidence of disease extending at least 20 cm from the anal verge. In cohort 1, patients received open-label etrolizumab 105 mg every 4 weeks for a 14-week induction period. In cohort 2, patients were randomly assigned (4:1) to receive subcutaneous etrolizumab 105 mg or placebo every 4 weeks for the 14-week induction phase. Patients in either cohort achieving clinical response to etrolizumab induction were eligible for the maintenance phase, in which they were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive subcutaneous etrolizumab 105 mg or placebo every 4 weeks through to week 66. Randomisation was stratified by baseline concomitant treatment with corticosteroids, concomitant treatment with immunosuppressants (induction randomisation only), baseline disease activity, week 14 MCS remission status (maintenance randomisation only), and induction cohort (maintenance randomisation only). All patients and study site personnel were masked to treatment assignment. Primary endpoints were remission (Mayo Clinic total score [MCS] ≤2, with individual subscores of ≤1 and a rectal bleeding subscore of 0) at week 14, and remission at week 66 among patients with a clinical response (MCS with ≥3-point decrease and ≥30% reduction from baseline, plus ≥1 point decrease in rectal bleeding subscore or absolute rectal bleeding score of 0 or 1) at week 14. Efficacy was analysed using a modified intent-to-treat population. Safety analyses included all patients who received at least one dose of study drug during the induction phase. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02100696 . Findings HICKORY was conducted from May 21, 2014, to April 16, 2020, during which time 1081 patients were screened, and 609 deemed eligible for inclusion. 130 patients were included in cohort 1. In cohort 2,479 patients were randomly assigned to the induction phase (etrolizumab n=384, placebo n=95). 232 patients were randomly assigned to the maintenance phase (etrolizumab to etrolizumab n=117, etrolizumab to placebo n=115). At week 14, 71 (18·5%) of 384 patients in the etrolizumab group and six (6·3%) of 95 patients in the placebo group achieved the primary induction endpoint of remission (p=0·0033). No significant difference between etrolizumab and placebo was observed for the primary maintenance endpoint of remission at week 66 among patients with a clinical response at week 14 (27 [24·1%] of 112 vs 23 [20·2%] of 114; p=0·50). Four patients in the etrolizumab group reported treatment-related adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation. The proportion of patients reporting at least adverse event was similar between treatment groups for induction (etrolizumab 253 [66%] of 384; placebo 63 [66%] of 95) and maintenance (etrolizumab to etrolizumab 98 [88%] of 112; etrolizumab to placebo 97 [85%] of 114). The most common adverse event in both groups was ulcerative colitis flare. Most adverse events were mild or moderate. During induction, the most common serious adverse event was ulcerative colitis flare (etrolizumab ten [3%] of 384; placebo: two [2%] of 95). During maintenance, the most common serious adverse event in the etrolizumab to etrolizumab group was appendicitis (two [2%] of 112) and the most common serious adverse events in the etrolizumab to placebo group were ulcerative colitis flare (two [2%] of 114) and anaemia (two [2%] of 114). Interpretation HICKORY demonstrated that a significantly higher proportion of patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who had been previously treated with anti-TNF agent were able to achieve remission at week 14 when treated with etrolizumab compared with placebo; however, there was no significant difference between groups in remission at week 66 among patients with a clinical response at week 14. Funding F Hoffmann-La Roche.

Ustekinumab is effective in Crohn's disease. However, a substantial proportion of patients will not respond or lose response to ustekinumab. The current evidence to support the effectiveness of dose-optimisation for ustekinumab nonresponse is limited., info:eu-repo/semantics/published