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Azathioprine and mercaptopurine are considered safe during pregnancy. However, the pharmacokinetic effects of pregnancy on thiopurine metabolism are undefined.To characterise thiopurine metabolism in pregnancy and measure infant metabolite levels and outcomes.Women with IBD who were taking a thiopurine and pregnant or trying to conceive were recruited. Maternal thiopurine metabolites were measured pre-conception, in each trimester, at delivery and post-partum. Infant metabolite levels, full blood examination and liver function testing were performed at birth, and repeated until levels undetectable and haematological and biochemical abnormalities resolved.Forty patients were included with measurements on at least two occasions, and two with only mother-baby levels at delivery. The median maternal 6-TGN level dropped in the second trimester compared with post-partum (179.0 vs 323.5 pmol/8 × 106-TGN levels decrease and 6-MMP levels increase in the second trimester of pregnancy. Infants are exposed to thiopurine metabolites at low levels with clearance by 6 weeks and no anaemia. The cause of infant thrombocytosis and abnormal liver biochemistry in the absence of metabolites is unclear.

Background and Aim Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is a medical emergency requiring prompt therapeutic intervention. Although infliximab has been used as salvage therapy for over 15 years, clinical predictors of treatment success are lacking. We performed a retrospective analysis to identify factors that predict colectomy and may guide dose intensification. Methods Fifty‐four hospitalized patients received infliximab for ASUC at seven Australian centers (April 2014–May 2015). Follow‐up was over 12 months. The data were primarily analyzed for predictors of colectomy. Accelerated (AI) versus standard (SI) infliximab induction strategies were also compared. Results Of 54 patients identified, the overall colectomy rate was 15.38% (8/52) at 3 months and 26.92% (14/52) at 12 months. Two patients were lost to follow‐up. There was a numerically higher colectomy rate in those treated with AI compared with SI (P = 0.3); however, those treated with AI had more severe biochemical disease. A C‐reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio cut‐off of 0.37 post‐commencement of infliximab and before discharge was a significant predictor of colectomy with an area under receiver operating curve of 0.73. Pretreatment CRP and albumin levels were not predictive of colectomy. A Mayo Endoscopic Score of 2 had a 94% PPV for avoidance of colectomy following infliximab salvage. Conclusions The baseline Mayo Endoscopic Score and the CRP/albumin ratio following infliximab salvage are significant predictors of treatment response for ASUC and identify patients at high risk of colectomy. Whether this risk can be mitigated using infliximab dose intensification requires prospective evaluation before the CRP/albumin ratio can be integrated into ASUC management algorithms.

Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is a medical emergency requiring prompt therapeutic intervention. Although infliximab has been used as salvage therapy for over 15 years, clinical predictors of treatment success are lacking. We performed a retrospective analysis to identify factors that predict colectomy and may guide dose intensification.Fifty-four hospitalized patients received infliximab for ASUC at seven Australian centers (April 2014-May 2015). Follow-up was over 12 months. The data were primarily analyzed for predictors of colectomy. Accelerated (AI) versus standard (SI) infliximab induction strategies were also compared.Of 54 patients identified, the overall colectomy rate was 15.38% (8/52) at 3 months and 26.92% (14/52) at 12 months. Two patients were lost to follow-up. There was a numerically higher colectomy rate in those treated with AI compared with SI (P = 0.3); however, those treated with AI had more severe biochemical disease. A C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio cut-off of 0.37 post-commencement of infliximab and before discharge was a significant predictor of colectomy with an area under receiver operating curve of 0.73. Pretreatment CRP and albumin levels were not predictive of colectomy. A Mayo Endoscopic Score of 2 had a 94% PPV for avoidance of colectomy following infliximab salvage.The baseline Mayo Endoscopic Score and the CRP/albumin ratio following infliximab salvage are significant predictors of treatment response for ASUC and identify patients at high risk of colectomy. Whether this risk can be mitigated using infliximab dose intensification requires prospective evaluation before the CRP/albumin ratio can be integrated into ASUC management algorithms.

Data supporting the optimal maintenance drug therapy and strategy to monitor ongoing response following successful infliximab (IFX) induction, for acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC), are limited. We aimed to evaluate maintenance and monitoring strategies employed in patients post-IFX induction therapy.Patients in six Australian tertiary centers treated with IFX for steroid-refractory ASUC between April 2014 and May 2015 were identified via hospital IBD and pharmacy databases. Patients were followed up for 1 year with clinical data over 12 months recorded. Analysis was limited to patient outcomes beyond 3 months.Forty one patients were identified. Five of the 41 (12%) patients underwent colectomy within 3 months, and one patient was lost to follow-up. Six of 35 (17%) of the remaining patients progressed to colectomy by 12 months. Maintenance therapy: Patients maintained on thiopurine monotherapy (14/35) versus IFX/thiopurine therapy (15/35) were followed up. Two of 15 (13%) patients who received combination maintenance therapy underwent a colectomy at 12 months, compared with 1/14 (7%) patients receiving thiopurine monotherapy (P = 0.610). Monitoring during maintenance: Post-discharge, thiopurine metabolites were monitored in 15/27 (56%); fecal calprotectin in 11/32 (34%); and serum IFX levels in 4/20 (20%). Twenty of 32 (63%) patients had an endoscopic evaluation after IFX salvage with median time to first endoscopy of 109 days (interquartile range 113-230).Following IFX induction therapy for ASUC, the uptake of maintenance therapy in this cohort and strategies to monitor ongoing response were variable. These data suggest that the optimal maintenance and monitoring strategy post-IFX salvage therapy remains to be defined.

Purpose: In a previous paper focusing on the common sense model (CSM) for ostomies in people with inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and diverticular disease, we reported that (1) illness perceptions were directly related to illness status, and both illness perceptions and coping strategies (maladaptive coping) directly influenced anxiety and depression; (2) self-efficacy and emotion-focused coping style ameliorated depression but not anxiety; and (3) time since surgery was associated with improved health status, a reduction in negative illness perceptions, and increased emotional-focused coping. The purpose of this article was to perform a secondary analysis with the addition of a stoma quality-of-life measure. Subjects and setting: One hundred fifty adults with ostomies (54 males, and 96 females; mean age = 44 years) completed an online survey. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study. Methods: Participants completed the Health Perceptions Questionnaire, Brief Illness Perceptions Questionnaire, Carver Brief Coping Questionnaire, Stoma Self-efficacy Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Stoma Quality-of-Life Scale. Results: Using structural equation modeling, the final model provided an excellent fit to the data ([chi]227 = 19.20, P = .37, [chi]2/N = 1.08, Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) < 0.03, Steiger-Lind Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) < 0.03, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) > 0.98). Extending upon our previous paper, self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression were found to have a significant direct influence on stoma-specific quality of life ([beta]= .47, P < .001, [beta]=-.25, P < .001, and [beta]=-.35, P < .001, respectively). Conclusions: The findings of this secondary analysis extends our previous report by identifying that, consistent with the CSM, illness status, illness perceptions, and coping influence health-related quality of life via self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression. The results suggest that to improve an individual's quality of life, psychological interventions should target the psychological processes underpinning mental illness and also help develop and maintain an individual's self-efficacy in relation to ostomy care.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), common in Melbourne, was rare but is now increasing in incidence in Hong Kong (HK). To investigate whether these are the same diseases in the West and East, potential causes of changing incidence, and to plan resource needs, an appreciation of clinical characteristics in contrasting populations is essential.Disease characteristics were collected from prospectively populated IBD databases in two specialist centers in Melbourne, Australia and HK.Of 795 patients (Crohn's disease [CD] : ulcerative colitis [UC] Melbourne 272:159 and HK 161:203), the age of diagnosis was higher, there were proportionally more male patients with CD but no UC sex difference, fewer patients were current or ex-smokers (CD 8% vs 50%; UC 17% vs 35%) and a family history of IBD was less common (2% vs 11%; P0.001) in HK compared to Melbourne. Stricturing and perianal CD were more common in HK (12% vs 6%; P0.001; and 29% vs 16%; P = 0.001, respectively). In HK for UC, more patients had extensive disease at diagnosis (42% vs 22%) but colectomy was less common (7% vs 20%; P0.001). In Melbourne there was greater steroid use at diagnosis and patients were more likely to receive an immunomodulator or anti-tumor necrosis factor agent.IBD in HK was diagnosed at an older age, and had more complicated disease behavior than in Melbourne. Medical therapy, however, was less intense in HK. These differences may relate to real differences in disease or delayed diagnosis due to late presentation and less disease recognition in HK.

Background and Aims Alterations in body composition are common in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] and have been associated with differences in patient outcomes. We sought to consolidate knowledge on the impact and importance of body composition in IBD. Methods We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and conference proceedings by combining two key research themes: inflammatory bowel disease and body composition. Results Fifty-five studies were included in this review. Thirty-one focused on the impact of IBD on body composition with a total of 2279 patients with a mean age 38.4 years. Of these, 1071 [47%] were male. In total, 1470 [64.5%] patients had Crohn’s disease and 809 [35.5%] had ulcerative colitis. Notably, fat mass and fat-free mass were reduced, and higher rates of sarcopaenia were observed in those with active IBD compared with those in clinical remission and healthy controls. Twenty-four additional studies focused on the impact of derangements in body composition on IBD outcomes. Alterations in body composition in IBD are associated with poorer prognoses including higher rates of surgical intervention, post-operative complications and reduced muscle strength. In addition, higher rates of early treatment failure and primary non-response are seen in patients with myopaenia. Conclusions Patients with IBD have alterations in body composition parameters in active disease and clinical remission. The impacts of body composition on disease outcome and therapy are broad and require further investigation. The augmentation of body composition parameters in the clinical setting has the potential to improve IBD outcomes in the future.