Fistulizing Disease (fistulizing + disease)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Course and treatment of perianal disease in children newly diagnosed with Crohn's disease

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 3 2009
David J. Keljo MD
Abstract Background: We sought to characterize perianal disease and its treatment in pediatric patients newly diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Methods: Data were obtained from the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Collaborative Group Registry, a prospective, multicenter observational registry recording clinical and laboratory outcomes in children under 16 years of age newly diagnosed with IBD. Patients with Crohn's disease were selected who had data on perianal disease and at least 24 months of follow-up. The records of patients with a Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index perianal subscore greater than 0 were reviewed, and patients with abscesses or fistulas were selected. The therapies used and the course of their perianal disease were then assessed. Results: Of the 276 patients identified, 41 had perianal lesions within 30 days of diagnosis. Thirteen of these had skin tags and fissures only, whereas 28 had fistulas and/or abscesses. The latter lesions resolved by 1 year in 20 patients, and 8 had chronic/recurrent perianal disease persisting for more than 1 year following diagnosis. Patients with fistulizing disease were much more likely to be treated and were treated earlier with antibiotics, infliximab, and immunomodulators than were nonfistulizing patients. Patients who developed chronic perianal disease were more likely to have low body mass indices and required more perianal surgery than did patients whose perianal disease resolved. Conclusions: Approximately 10% of newly diagnosed pediatric patients with Crohn's disease will have perianal fistulas and/or abscesses at the time of diagnosis. Most of these will resolve within a year with medical therapy alone. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2008) [source]


Infliximab and the risk of latent viruses reactivation in active Crohn's disease

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 7 2007
Alessandro Lavagna MD
Abstract Background: Infliximab is used for refractory Crohn's disease but there are concerns regarding long-term safety. Recently, JC-polyomavirus (JCV) was studied after 3 cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) were found after treatment with natalizumab. The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effect of infliximab on reactivation of several harmful latent viruses. Methods: Sixty consecutive patients scheduled for infliximab induction course were prospectively enrolled. Blood samples were taken before each infliximab infusion at 0, 2, 6, and 14 weeks. Specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were performed to detect JCV, Epstein,Barr virus (EBV), human herpes virus-6, (HHV-6), -7, -8, and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Results: Indications to infliximab were luminal and fistulizing disease in 49 and 15 cases, respectively. Clinical improvement and remission were achieved in 54 (90%) and 39 (65%) of patients, respectively, at 6 weeks. No patient was JCV-positive at any timepoint. EBV serology was positive for 59/60 patients (98%); EBV-PCR tests were transiently positive (>40 copies/105 Peripheral blood mononuclear cells, PBMC) in 4 (7%) patients after infliximab, but in each case were negative at subsequent timepoints. All patients were negative for HHV-6, -7, and -8 at all timepoints. CMV serology was positive in 42 patients (70%), but no CMV-PCR-positive patient was observed. There was no association between concomitant treatments or clinical characteristics and viral status. Conclusions: Our results support the safety of short-term infliximab treatment with respect to latent virus reactivation. The long-term effects of infliximab, particularly for the issue of lymphoproliferative disorders, warrants further studies with larger populations, but so far data are reassuring. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007) [source]


Appropriateness of therapy for fistulizing Crohn's disease: findings from a national inflammatory bowel disease cohort

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 8 2010
V. Pittet
Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 1007,1016 Summary Background, About 30,50% of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) develop fistulae, implying significant disease burden and complicated clinical management. Aim, To assess appropriate use of therapy for fistulizing CD patients enrolled in the Swiss Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort using criteria developed by the European Panel on the Appropriateness of Crohn's disease Therapy. Methods, Specific questionnaires were used to gather information on disease and its management. We assessed appropriateness of therapy at enrolment for adult CD patients with one or several fistulae. Results, Two hundred and eighty-eight CD patients had fistulizing disease, of which 80% had complex fistulae and 32% currently had active draining fistulae. Mean age (s.d.) at diagnosis was 27 years (11), 51% males. Of the patients, 78% were judged as having globally an appropriate therapy, which was more often given for complex fistulae (87%) than for simple fistulae (67%). Antibiotics, azathioprine/MP, methotrexate and conservative surgery were almost always appropriate. Anti-tumor necrosis factor , was considered globally appropriate (91%), although most often with an uncertain indication. The 5ASA compounds, steroids and aggressive surgery were most often inappropriate (84%, 58% and 86% respectively). Conclusions, Formal appropriateness criteria for CD therapy were applied to a national cohort of IBD patients. For more than three-quarters of the patients with fistulizing CD, therapy was globally appropriate. [source]


Health-economic analysis: cost-effectiveness of scheduled maintenance treatment with infliximab for Crohn's disease , modelling outcomes in active luminal and fistulizing disease in adults

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 1 2008
J. LINDSAY
Summary Background, Infliximab has been shown to be efficacious in moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease (CD). Aim, To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of scheduled maintenance treatment with infliximab in luminal and fistulizing CD patients. Methods, Markov models were constructed to simulate the progression of adult CD patients with and without fistulae during treatment with infliximab (5 mg/kg). Transitions were estimated from published clinical trials of infliximab. Standard care, comprising immunomodulators and/or corticosteroids was used as a comparator. An average weight of 60 kg was used to estimate the dose of infliximab. The costs and outcomes were discounted at 3.5% over 5 years. The primary effectiveness measurement was quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) estimated using EQ-5D. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed by varying the infliximab efficacy estimates, costs and utilities. Results, The incremental cost per QALY gained was £26 128 in luminal CD and £29 752 in fistulizing CD at 5 years. Results were robust and remained in the range of £23 752,£38 848 for luminal CD and £27 047,£44 206 for fistulizing CD. Patient body weight was the most important factor affecting cost-effectiveness. Conclusion, Eight-week scheduled maintenance treatment with infliximab is a cost-effective treatment for adult patients suffering from active luminal or fistulizing CD. [source]


An open-label study of thalidomide for maintenance therapy in responders to infliximab in chronically active and fistulizing refractory Crohn's disease

ALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 6 2002
J. M. Sabate
Summary Background : Infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody to tumour necrosis factor-,, is a new potent therapy for active Crohn's disease, but induces short-lived improvements. Aim : To evaluate the efficacy of thalidomide, a drug with anti-tumour necrosis factor-, activity, for the maintenance of infliximab-induced response in refractory Crohn's disease. Methods : Fifteen patients with severe, refractory disease (10 females, five males; mean age, 40 years; eight with luminal disease, two with fistulizing disease and five with both luminal and fistulizing disease) were started on thalidomide (100 mg daily), 29 ± 10 days after they had responded to infliximab (5 mg/kg infusions). Results : The median follow-up period was 238 days (range, 10,458 days) from the initiation of thalidomide and 265 days (range, 10,537 days) from the last infliximab infusion. The median Crohn's disease activity indices were 322 (range, 170,525), 119 (range, 24,503) and 35 (range, ,,60,360) before infliximab, at the initiation of thalidomide and at the end of follow-up, respectively. Remission rates on thalidomide were 92%, 83% and 83% at 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively, after the last infliximab infusion (Kaplan,Meier). Four patients (two in remission) stopped thalidomide for suspected adverse effects. Side-effects (drowsiness, rash and peripheral neuropathy) were mild and mostly transient. Conclusions : Thalidomide appears to be an effective and relatively safe drug to maintain response to infliximab in chronically active and fistulizing refractory Crohn's disease. [source]