MRI colonography for IBD: do magnets spin a tale of the inflamed colon?
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Successful clinical trials in inflammatory bowel disease are based on precise definitions of study populations, standardized and well-defined interventions, reliable indices of disease activity, and clearly stipulated outcome measures. Interpretation of research results is often complicated by the differentiation of goals of therapy (remission induction and maintenance, quality of life) and the multitude of patient subsets. Choosing the correct patient subtype to enroll in a clinical trial is critical to the results of a study, its conclusions, and its applicability to the clinical setting. Validated, easy-to-use disease activity indices allow interpretation of results across trials. The use of biomarkers as surrogate clinical endpoints provides reproducibility, ease of statistical handling as a continuous variable, and consistent measurement of response to treatment. Despite these potential advantages, biomarkers of disease activity lack specificity and will need to be validated against clinically meaningful outcomes. Careful subject selection, standardization of disease activity indices, and precise outcome measurement are the keys to continued improvement of the inflammatory bowel disease research process.
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The cyclical nature of chronic illness requires that children with inflammatory bowel disease be transitioned to the adult medical system with as much continuity of care as possible. Transition from pediatric to adult medical care continues to present significant barriers. The philosophy of transition centers on a process, with the actual transfer to adult care as a point along this clinical pathway. Concrete steps can be taken to help patients prepare for new responsibilities. The aim of this review is to propose a clinical and developmental timeline for both patients and their medical team, including specific responsibilities for both, so that the partnership can best promote a successful transition.
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BACKGROUND: Azathioprine is widely used in the treatment of children with inflammatory bowel disease. The occurrence and type of adverse events to azathioprine may be related to thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) enzyme activity and to inosine triphophate pyrophosphatase (ITPase) deficiency. AIM: Investigate frequencies of functional TPMT polymorphisms and ITPA polymorphisms and their association with the occurrence of adverse events during azathioprine therapy in a paediatric inflammatory bowel disease population. METHODS: Seventy-two azathioprine treated paediatric inflammatory bowel disease patients, 47% girls, mean age 12.5 years (range 6.5-17.5), were assessed for TPMT and ITPA polymorphisms and for adverse events. The relation between polymorphisms and adverse events is evaluated. RESULTS: Of all azathioprine treated patients, 11 experienced an adverse event for which azathioprine was stopped: pancreatitis (n = 4), leucopenia (n = 2) and 'general malaise' (n = 5). Of the 11 patients who stopped azathioprine because of adverse events, 10 had wild-type alleles for all investigated genotypes. Genotyping of ITPA 94C>A polymorphisms showed that two patients were homozygous, both tolerated azathioprine well. CONCLUSIONS: No association of functional ITPA and TPMT polymorphisms and the occurrence of azathioprine related adverse events could be detected. Pharmacogenetic assessment prior to thiopurine therapy does not seem warranted.
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OBJECTIVES: A multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of two different therapeutic schedules of mesalazine suppositories in patients with ulcerative proctitis. METHODS: From 1990 to 1993, 111 patients with ulcerative proctisis in remission, limited to the rectum (< or = 15 cm from anus), were enrolled. After obtaining informed consent, patients were randomized to three treatment groups: 500 mg mesalazine b.i.d. (36 patients), 500 mg mesalazine u.i.d. (40 patients), and placebo (35 patients). The treatment lasted 1 yr. Follow-up consisted of periodic clinical, endoscopic, and histological assessments. An endoscopic score > 1 according to the Baron scale defined relapse occurrence. The three groups were homogeneous as regards main demographic, diagnostic, and prognostic features. RESULTS: The cumulative relapse rates at 12 months were 10% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0-21) in the mesalazine b.i.d. group, 32% (95% CI: 16-49) in the mesalazine u.i.d. group, and 47% (95% CI: 29-65) in the placebo group. The comparison between the mesalazine b.i.d. group and the mesalazine u.i.d. group cumulative relapse rates gave a p value of 0.0334, whereas the corresponding comparison between the mesalazine b.i.d. group and the placebo group gave a p value of 0.007 (log-rank test). The dose-response relationship was statistically significant (p = 0.008 by Cox analysis). Two patients in the mesalazine b.i.d. group, two patients in the mesalazine u.i.d. group, and one patient in the placebo group withdrew from the study due to nonserious adverse events; four, three, and four patients per group, respectively, dropped out because of poor compliance. Two patients in the mesalazine u.i.d. group and two in the placebo group were lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm the therapeutic efficacy of mesalazine suppositories in the maintenance treatment of ulcerative proctitis. According to our experience the most effective therapeutic schedule is 500 mg mesalazine b.i.d.
OBJECTIVE: Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding is a rare complication of Crohn's disease, which represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The aim of this study was to define epidemiological characteristics and therapeutic options of hemorrhagic forms of Crohn's disease. METHODS: Thirty-four cases of hemorrhagic forms of Crohn's disease were studied retrospectively. Acute lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage was defined as acute rectal bleeding originating in diseased bowel and requiring a transfusion of at least 2 units of red blood cells within 24 h. Upper gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage or anal lesions and postoperative bleeding were excluded. RESULTS: Mean age at time of hemorrhage was 34.2 +/- 14 yr. Mean duration of disease before the hemorrhage was 5.6 +/- 6 yr. The hemorrhage occurred during a flare up of the disease in 35% of cases. The hemorrhage revealed Crohn's disease in 23.5% of cases. The hemorrhage was more frequent in colonic disease (85%) than in isolated small bowel disease (15%) (p < 0.0001). The origin of bleeding was identified in 65% of cases, by colonoscopy (60%), by angiography (3 patients), or at surgery (1 patient). The bleeding lesion was an ulcer in 95% of cases, most often in the left colon. The treatment was surgical in 20.5% (colectomy in 36%), endoscopical (7 patients, including 5 successes), or medical. Hemorrhage recurred in 12 patients (35%) within a mean time of 3 yr (4 days-8 yr), requiring surgery in 3 cases. No death was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study performed in a series characterized by a nonsurgical recruitment, the largest to date, shows that hemorrhagic forms of Crohn's disease may reveal disease in 23.5%, occurs in quiescent Crohn's disease in two-thirds of cases. Given the potential efficacy of endoscopical or medical treatment, as well as the absence of mortality, a conservative approach may be suggested as first-line therapy in the majority of patients.
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