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Background: Anti−vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) treatment has been associated with an increased risk of thromboembolic events. Therefore, the use of anti−VEGFs for patients with colorectal cancers (CRC) has raised concerns about the potential risk of retinal vein occlusion (RVO), an ocular disease caused by embolism or venous stasis. This study aims to evaluate the risk of RVO in patients with CRC treated with anti−VEGFs. Method: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Taiwan Cancer Registry and National Health Insurance Database. The study cohort comprised patients newly diagnosed with CRC between 2011 and 2017, who received anti-VEGF treatment. For each patient in the study cohort, a control group comprising four patients newly diagnosed with CRC, but not receiving anti-VEGF treatment, was randomly selected. A washout period of 12 months was implemented to identify new cases. The index date was defined as the date of the first prescription of anti-VEGF drugs. The study outcome was the incidence of RVO, as identified by ICD-9-CM (362.35 and 362.36) or ICD-10-CM codes (H3481 and H3483). Patients were followed from their index date until the occurrence of RVO, death or the end of the study period. Covariates, including patients' age at index date, sex, calendar year of CRC diagnosis, stage of CRC and comorbidities related to RVO, were included. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with adjustments for all covariates to compare the risk of RVO between the anti-VEGF and control groups. Results: We recruited 6285 patients in the anti-VEGF group and 37,250 patients in the control group, with mean ages of 59.49 ± 12.11 and 63.88 ± 13.17 years, respectively. The incidence rates were 1.06 per 1000 person-years for the anti-VEGF group, and 0.63 per 1000 person-years for the controls. There was no statistically significant difference in RVO risk between the anti-VEGF and control groups (HR: 2.21, 95% CI: 0.87–5.61). Conclusion: Our results indicated no association between use of anti-VEGF and occurrence of RVO among CRC patients, although the crude incidence rate of RVO was higher in patients receiving anti-VEGF, compared to control patients. Future study with larger sample size is required to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Crohn's disease has a substantial negative impact on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Aim: To examine the effects of risankizumab on HRQoL in Crohn's disease Methods: We analysed data from patients with Crohn's disease from 12‐week induction trials ADVANCE (N = 850) and MOTIVATE (N = 569) with risankizumab 600 mg or 1200 mg intravenous (IV) versus placebo IV and a 52‐week maintenance trial FORTIFY (N = 462) with risankizumab 180 or 360 mg subcutaneous (SC) versus placebo SC. Outcomes included Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy‐Fatigue (FACIT‐F), 36‐item Short Form Health Survey (SF‐36), EuroQol 5‐Dimension‐5‐Level (EQ‐5D‐5L) and work productivity. The mean change and percentages of patients achieving clinically meaningful improvement in all outcomes were determined at weeks 12 and 52. Results: At week 12, more patients in the risankizumab 600 or 1200 mg groups achieved IBDQ response than with placebo (ADVANCE: 70.2%, 75.5% vs. 47.8%, p ≤ 0.001; MOTIVATE: 61.7%, 68.5% vs. 48.2%, p ≤ 0.01) and FACIT‐F response (ADVANCE: 51.3%, 48.0% vs. 35.7%, p ≤ 0.01; MOTIVATE: 44.2%, 49.1% vs. 33.7%, p < 0.05). These improvements persisted at week 52 with risankizumab maintenance treatment. Similar trends were observed for SF‐36 physical and mental component summary scores, EQ‐5D‐5L and activity impairment within work productivity measures. Conclusions: Risankizumab induction therapy (600 or 1200 mg IV) led to clinically meaningful improvements in disease‐specific and general patient‐reported outcomes, including fatigue, in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease. These improvements were sustained after 52 weeks of risankizumab (180 or 360 mg SC) maintenance therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for clear criteria to guide treatment decisions and disease management in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). The recently developed minimal disease activity (MDA) concept aims to optimize AD management through shared decision-making between patients and clinicians in a treat-to-target approach, and is based on consensus recommendations from 87 physicians and insights from 88 patients globally.This study aims to evaluate how achieving MDA affects outcomes in patients with AD. Observed-case data from three phase 3 clinical trials involving adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe AD were integrated and analysed (NCT03568318, NCT03569293 and NCT03607422). The MDA criteria were applied to clinician-reported measures [Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis, validated Investigator Global Assessment, and body surface area] and patient-reported measures [Worst Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (WP-NRS), Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure, Atopic Dermatitis Symptom Scale (ADerm-SS) Skin Pain score, Atopic Dermatitis Impact Scale (ADerm-IS) Sleep disturbance score, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Dermatology Life Quality Index]. Patients were stratified into three mutually exclusive groups by achievement of treatment targets per measurement at week 16: (i) achieving the optimal target (i.e. MDA) criteria [e.g. EASI improvement ≥90% (EASI 90); WP-NRS ≤1], (ii) achieving the moderate but not optimal target criteria [e.g. EASI improvement ≥75% and <90%; WP-NRS improvement (reduction) ≥4 and WP-NRS >1] and (iii) not achieving either target criteria. Among the stratified target groups (optimal, moderate and neither), patients' symptoms, quality of life, work productivity and treatment satisfaction were assessed based on achieving meaningful clinically important differences in ADerm-SS 7-item total symptom score (ADerm-SS TSS-7; improvement ≥28), ADerm-IS Daily Activities score (improvement ≥14), ADerm-IS Emotional State score (improvement ≥11), percentage-point improvement in Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) Overall Work Productivity score and proportion reporting Patient Global Impressions of Treatment of 'Extremely/Very Satisfied'. Stratified target groups were compared with a chi-squared or t -test for categorical or continuous variables, respectively, based on observed data. This analysis included 2392 patients. Patients in the optimal target (MDA) group based on EASI (EASI 90) vs. those in the moderate or neither target group had a higher proportion reporting meaningful improvements in ADerm-SS TSS-7 (optimal = 82.6% vs. moderate = 56.8% or neither = 27.4%; P < 0.001 for both comparisons), ADerm-IS Daily Activities (87.2% vs. 66.2% or 39.9%; both P < 0.001) and ADerm-IS Emotional State (86.1% vs. 67.1% or 36.8%; both P < 0.001); a greater percentage-point improvement in WPAI Overall Work Productivity (36.8% vs. 29.2% or 16.6%; both P < 0.01); and a higher proportion reporting being very/extremely satisfied with treatment (73.5% vs. 54.0% or 23.5%; both P < 0.001). Patients in the optimal target (MDA) group based on itch (WP-NRS ≤1) vs. those in the moderate or neither target group had a higher proportion reporting meaningful improvements in ADerm-SS TSS-7 (94.3% vs. 79.7% or 19.1%; both P < 0.001), ADerm-IS Daily Activities (97.3% vs. 84.7% or 33.6%; both P < 0.001) and ADerm-IS Emotional State (94.5% vs. 84.5% or 31.7%; both P < 0.001); a greater percentage-point improvement in WPAI Overall Work Productivity [39.7% vs. 35.2% (not significant) or 14.6% (P < 0.001)]; and a higher proportion reporting being very/extremely satisfied with treatment (79.7% vs. 60.5% or 26.8%; both P < 0.001). Trends were similar in other clinician- and patient-reported measures, with patients who achieved MDA generally reporting better outcomes. Achieving MDA from both a clinician and patient perspective was generally associated with greater improvements in AD symptoms, daily activities, emotional state, work productivity and higher satisfaction. These results demonstrate the value of achieving MDA and support implementing MDA in clinical practice to help improve the current standard of AD care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]