Significance of diagnosis and prognosis for appendiceal orifice inflammation in ulcerative colitis: a real-world study

Objective
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the large intestine. At present, the significance of appendiceal orifice inflammation (AOI) in UC prognosis is still controversial. This prospective observational study investigated the importance of AOI in UC diagnosis and prognosis. Additionally, it compared the therapeutic efficacy of treatments in UC patients with or without AOI.

Design
This study was a prospective, observational, single-centre, real-world study. Patients with AOI were included in the observation group, and patients without AOI were assigned to the control group. All patients were followed up for 1 year; the disease remission and treatment efficacy were re-examined by colonoscopy. In addition, the clinical, endoscopic and pathological features were collected before and after the treatment.

Results
Patients with endoscopic diffuse inflammatory changes in the distal colorectum accompanied by AOI had a higher positive UC diagnosis rate than those without (96.5% vs 78.0%). Also, AOI had a specificity of 95.2% and a sensitivity of 28.3% for UC diagnosis. However, no difference in the modified Mayo score (p=0.881) or Baron grading was observed between the control and observation groups, indicating that AOI does not affect the treatment outcome of UC patients.

Conclusion
In this study, the observation of AOI improved the UC diagnostic accuracy in patients with diffuse lesions in the distal colorectum. Furthermore, the presence of AOI does not affect the treatment efficacies of UC.

Trial registration number
ChiCTR1800017753.

Leggi
Settembre 2022

Efficacy of biological therapies and small molecules in moderate to severe ulcerative colitis: systematic review and network meta-analysis

Objective
Biological therapies and small molecules continue to be evaluated in moderate to severely active ulcerative colitis, but are often studied in placebo-controlled trials, meaning their relative efficacy and safety is unknown. We examined this in a network meta-analysis.

Design
We searched the literature to October 2021 to identify eligible trials. We judged efficacy using clinical remission, endoscopic improvement, or clinical response, and according to previous exposure or non-exposure to antitumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α therapy. We also assessed safety. We used a random effects model and reported data as pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIs. Interventions were ranked according to their P-score.

Results
We identified 28 trials (12 504 patients). Based on failure to achieve clinical remission, upadacitinib 45 mg once daily ranked first versus placebo (RR 0.73; 95% CI 0.68 to 0.80, P-score 0.98), with infliximab 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg second and third, respectively. Upadacitinib ranked first for clinical remission in both patients naïve to anti-TNF-α drugs (RR 0.69; 95% CI 0.61 to 0.78, P-score 0.99) and previously exposed (RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.72 to 0.85, P-score 0.99). Upadacitinib was superior to almost all other drugs in these analyses. Based on failure to achieve endoscopic improvement infliximab 10 mg/kg ranked first (RR 0.61; 95% CI 0.51 to 0.72, P-score 0.97), with upadacitinib 45 mg once daily, second, and infliximab 5 mg/kg third. Upadacitinib was more likely to lead to adverse events, but serious adverse events were no more frequent, and withdrawals due to adverse events were significantly lower than with placebo. Infections were significantly more likely with tofacitinib than placebo (RR 1.41; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.91).

Conclusion
In a network meta-analysis, upadacitinib 45 mg once daily ranked first for clinical remission in all patients, patients naïve to anti-TNF-α drugs and patients previously exposed. Infliximab 10 mg/kg ranked first for endoscopic improvement. Most drugs were safe and well tolerated.

Leggi
Settembre 2022

A Summary of the BRIDGe Summit on Damage-Related Progression of Ulcerative Colitis: Establishing Research Priorities

Bowel damage in Crohn’s disease (CD) has been well described, and led to development of the Lemann Index.1 However, damage and progression in ulcerative colitis (UC) remain incompletely understood, at least in part because they remain poorly defined. Over the last several decades, a body of evidence has demonstrated that UC leads to alterations in colon structure and function, yet these alterations are not adequately captured by current definitions of disease severity or phenotype, nor are they accounted for in current measures used in clinical trials and clinical practice.

Leggi
Agosto 2022

Persistence of gastrointestinal symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis: study protocol for a three-arm randomised controlled trial (SOMA.GUT-RCT)

Introduction
Ulcerative colitis (UC) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are distressing chronic diseases associated with abdominal pain and altered bowel habits of unknown aetiology. Results from previous studies indicate that, across both diseases, increased levels of illness-related anxiety and dysfunctional symptom expectations contribute to symptom persistence. Thus, comparing both disorders with regard to common and disease-specific factors in the persistence and modification of gastrointestinal symptoms seems justified. Our primary hypothesis is that persistent gastrointestinal symptoms in UC and IBS can be improved by modifying dysfunctional symptom expectations and illness-related anxiety using expectation management strategies.

Methods and analysis
To assess the extent to which persistent somatic symptoms are modifiable in adult patients with UC and IBS, we will conduct an observer-blinded, three-arm randomised controlled trial. A total of 117 patients with UC and 117 patients with IBS will be randomised into three groups of equal size: targeted expectation management aiming to reduce illness-related anxiety and dysfunctional symptom expectations in addition to standard care (SC, intervention 1), non-specific supportive treatment in addition to SC (intervention 2) or SC only (control). Both active intervention groups will comprise three individual online consultation sessions and a booster session after 3 months. The primary outcome is baseline to postinterventional change in gastrointestinal symptom severity.

Ethics and dissemination
The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hamburg Medical Association (2020-10198-BO-ff). The study will shed light onto the efficacy and mechanisms of action of a targeted expectation management intervention for persistent gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with UC and IBS. Furthermore, the detailed analysis of the complex biopsychosocial mechanisms will allow the further advancement of aetiological models and according evidence-based intervention strategies.

Trial registration number
ISRCTN30800023.

Leggi
Giugno 2022