Infliximab in the treatment of Crohn's disease: Predictors of response in an Italian multicentric open study

Abstract Background. Almost 20% of patients with active Crohn's disease are refractory to conventional therapy. Infliximab is a treatment of proven efficacy in this group of patients and it is not clear which variables predict a good response. Aims. To evaluate the role of infliximab looking at the predictors of response in a large series of patients with Crohn's disease. Patients and methods. Five hundred and seventy-three patients with luminal refractory Crohn's disease (Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) > 220–400) (312 patients) or with fistulising disease (190 patients) or both of them (71 patients) were treated with a dose of 5 mg/kg in 12 Italian referral centres. The primary endp…

Infliximab in severe ulcerative colitis: short-term results of different infusion regimens and long-term follow-up

Background Severe ulcerative colitis is a life-threatening disorder, despite i.v. glucocorticoids treatment. Infliximab has been proposed as a safe rescue therapy. Aim To evaluate short- and long-term effectiveness and safety of infliximab in severe refractory ulcerative colitis. Methods Eighty-three patients with severe ulcerative colitis (i.v. glucocorticoids treatment-refractory) were treated with infliximab in 10 Italian Gastroenterology Units. Patients underwent one or more infusions according to the choice of treating physicians. Short-term outcome was colectomy/death 2 months after the first infusion. Long-term outcome was survival free from colectomy. Safety data were recorded. Resu…

Two mesalazine regimens in the prevention of the post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease: a pragmatic, double-blind, randomized controlled trial

Summary Background : The role of mesalazine in preventing the clinical recurrence of Crohn's disease after surgery has been shown in a meta-analysis of all published studies. No clear relationship, however, has been shown between dosage and response. Aim : To evaluate whether 4.0 g/day of mesalazine may offer therapeutic advantages over 2.4 g/day in the prevention of both endoscopic and clinical post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease. Methods : The study was a double-blind, randomized, multi-centre, prospective, controlled clinical trial. Two hundred and six patients, submitted to first or second intestinal resection for Crohn's disease limited to the terminal ileum, with or without i…

Telemedicine and Remote Screening for COVID-19 in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: Results From the SoCOVID-19 Survey

sj-pdf-1-ueg-10.1177_2050640620964132 - Supplemental material for Activities related to inflammatory bowel disease management during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown in Italy: How to maintain standards of care

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-ueg-10.1177_2050640620964132 for Activities related to inflammatory bowel disease management during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown in Italy: How to maintain standards of care by Simone Saibeni, Ludovica Scucchi, Gabriele Dragoni, Cristina Bezzio, Agnese Miranda, Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone, Angela Bertani, Fabrizio Bossa, Mariangela Allocca, Andrea Buda, Gianmarco Mocci, Alessandra Soriano, Silvia Mazzuoli, Lorenzo Bertani, Flavia Baccini, Erika Loddo, Antonino Carlo Privitera, Alessandro Sartini, Angelo Viscido, Laurino Grossi, Valentina Casini, Viviana Gerardi, Marta Ascolani, Mirko Di Ruscio, Giovanni Casella, Edoardo Savarino, Davide Strade…

Activities related to inflammatory bowel disease management during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown in Italy: How to maintain standards of care

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Restructuring activities have been necessary during the lockdown phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Few data are available on the post-lockdown phase in terms of health-care procedures in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care, and no data are available specifically from IBD units. We aimed to investigate how IBD management was restructured during the lockdown phase, the impact of the restructuring on standards of care and how Italian IBD units have managed post-lockdown activities. METHODS: A web-based online survey was conducted in two phases (April and June 2020) among the Italian Group for IBD affiliated units within the entire country. We inv…

Prevention of postsurgical relapse and recurrence in Crohn's disease

After first resection in Crohn's disease at 1 year 60-80% of patients have endoscopic recurrence, 10-20% have clinical relapse, and 5% have surgical recurrence. 1,2 This review focuses on the actual evidence on the prevention of recurrence and relapse dealing with risk factors and with drugs. Smoking is the only risk factor for Crohn's disease, that has been shown to be related to both endoscopic and surgical recurrence and relapse. Among the different drugs evaluated, some (Mesalamine and Metronidazole) have been shown to be effective, whereas others (immunosuppressive) need to be evaluated in further, new trials.

sj-pdf-1-ueg-10.1177_2050640620964132 - Supplemental material for Activities related to inflammatory bowel disease management during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown in Italy: How to maintain standards of care

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-ueg-10.1177_2050640620964132 for Activities related to inflammatory bowel disease management during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown in Italy: How to maintain standards of care by Simone Saibeni, Ludovica Scucchi, Gabriele Dragoni, Cristina Bezzio, Agnese Miranda, Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone, Angela Bertani, Fabrizio Bossa, Mariangela Allocca, Andrea Buda, Gianmarco Mocci, Alessandra Soriano, Silvia Mazzuoli, Lorenzo Bertani, Flavia Baccini, Erika Loddo, Antonino Carlo Privitera, Alessandro Sartini, Angelo Viscido, Laurino Grossi, Valentina Casini, Viviana Gerardi, Marta Ascolani, Mirko Di Ruscio, Giovanni Casella, Edoardo Savarino, Davide Strade…

Infliximab three-dose induction regimen in severe corticosteroid-refractory ulcerative colitis: Early and late outcome and predictors of colectomy

Abstract Background Infliximab is effective as rescue therapy in severe corticosteroid-refractory ulcerative colitis. The optimal dose regimen and the long term benefits are not well defined. The aim of the present study was to evaluate short- and long-term colectomy rate in a cohort of patients with severe corticosteroid-refractory ulcerative colitis who received a three-dose infliximab induction regimen. Methods One hundred and thirteen patients admitted to 11 Italian IBD referral centres and treated with infliximab according to an intention to treat three-dose regimen were included. The co-primary endpoints were 3- and 12-month colectomy rate. The secondary end-points were the overall co…