Tolerability of shortened infliximab infusion times in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a single center cohort study

in Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica (2011)

Reanalysis of death risk in long-term follow-up in infliximab patients versus controls

in Gut (2010), 59

Long-term outcome of treatment with infliximab in 614 patients with Crohn's disease: results from a single-centre cohort

in Gut (2009), 58(4), 492-500

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This observational study assessed the long-term clinical benefit of infliximab (IFX) in 614 consecutive patients with Crohn's disease (CD) from a single centre during a median follow ... [more ▼]

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This observational study assessed the long-term clinical benefit of infliximab (IFX) in 614 consecutive patients with Crohn's disease (CD) from a single centre during a median follow-up of 55 months (interquartile range (IQR) 27-83). METHODS: The primary analysis looked at the proportion of patients with initial response to IFX who had sustained clinical benefit at the end of follow-up. The long-term effects of IFX on the course of CD as reflected by the rate of surgery and hospitalisations and need for corticosteroids were also analysed. RESULTS: 10.9% of patients were primary non-responders to IFX. Sustained benefit was observed in 347 of the 547 patients (63.4%) receiving long-term treatment. In 68.3% of these, treatment with IFX was ongoing and in 31.7% IFX was stopped, with the patient being in remission. Seventy patients (12.8%) had to stop IFX due to side effects and 118 (21.6%) due to loss of response. Although the yearly drop-out rates of IFX in patients with episodic (10.7%) and scheduled treatment (7.1%) were similar, the need for hospitalisations and surgery decreased less in the episodic than in the scheduled group. Steroid discontinuation also occurred in a higher proportion of patients in the scheduled group than in the episodic group. CONCLUSIONS: In this large real-life cohort of patients with CD, long-term treatment with IFX was very efficacious to maintain improvement during a median follow-up of almost 5 years and changed disease outcome by decreasing the rate of hospitalisations and surgery. [less ▲]

Long-term outcome after infliximab for refractory ulcerative colitis

in Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis [=JCC] (2008), 2(3), 219-225

Background and aims: Infliximab (IFX) has been shown efficacious for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC), but data on long-term efficacy are tacking. We investigated long-term outcome including ... [more ▼]

Background and aims: Infliximab (IFX) has been shown efficacious for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC), but data on long-term efficacy are tacking. We investigated long-term outcome including colectomy rates in outpatients treated with IFX for refractory UC in a single referral centre, and evaluated if predictors could be identified. Methods: The first 121 outpatients (median age 38.0 years) with refractory UC treated with IFX were included. The primary outcome was colectomy-free survival. Secondary measures were sustained clinical response and serious adverse events. Results: From the 81 patients (67%) with an initial clinical response to IFX, 68% had a sustained clinical response. No independent predictors of sustained clinical response could be identified. Over a median (IQR) follow-up period of 33.0 (17.0-49.8) months, 21 patients (17%) came to colectomy. Independent predictors of colectomy were absence of short-term clinical response [Hazard ratio 10.8 (95% Cl 3.5-32.8), p < 0.001], a baseline CRP level >= 5 mg/L [Hazard ratio 14.5 (95% Cl 2.0-108.6), p=0.006] and previous IV treatment with corticosteroids and/or cyctosporine [Hazard ratio 2.4 (95% Cl 1.1-5.9), p=0.033]. Six patients developed a serious infection, three a malignancy, two a post-operative complication and one patient died (suicide). Conclusions: With a median follow-upof 33.0 months after start of IFX, 17% of patients with refractory UC needed colectomy, while sustained clinical response was present in 68% of initial responders. (c) 2008 European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. [less ▲]