Ustekinumab safety and effectiveness in patients with ulcerative colitis: results from a large real-life study

BACKGROUND

Ustekinumab (UST) is an interleukin-12/interleukin-23 receptor antagonist recently approved for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) but with limited real-world data. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness and safety of UST in patients with UC in a real-world setting.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This is a multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study. The primary endpoints were the clinical remission rate (partial Mayo score, PMS, ≤1) and the safety of UST. Other endpoints were corticosteroid-free remission (CSFR) rate, clinical response rate (PMS reduction of at least 2 points), and fecal calprotectin (FC) reduction at week 24.

RESULTS

We included 256 consecutive patients with UC (M/F 139/117, median age 52). The clinical remission and clinical response rates at eight weeks were 18.7% (44/235) and 53.2% (125/235), respectively, and 27.6% (42/152) and 61.8% (94/152) at 24 weeks, respectively. At 24 weeks, CSFR was 20.3% (31/152), and FC significantly dropped at week 12 (p = 0.0004) and 24 (p = 0.038). At eight weeks, patients naïve or with one previous biologic treatment showed higher remission (p = 0.002) and clinical >response rates (p = 0.018) than patients previously treated with ≥ 2. Adverse events occurred in six patients (2.3%), whereas four patients (1.6%) underwent colectomy.

CONCLUSION

This real-world study shows that UST effectively and safely treats patients with UC.

Use of tofacitinib as first or second-line therapy is associated with better outcomes in patients with ulcerative colitis: data from a real-world study

BACKGROUND

Data regarding the real-world (RW) use of tofacitinib (TOF) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are limited. We aimed to investigate TOF's RW efficacy and safety in Italian UC patients.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A retrospective assessment of clinical and endoscopic activity was performed according to the Mayo score. The primary endpoints were to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of TOF.

RESULTS

We enrolled 166 patients with a median follow-up of 24 (IQR 8-36) weeks. Clinical remission was achieved in 61/166 (36.7%) and 75/166 (45.2%) patients at 8-week and 24-week follow-ups, respectively. The optimization was requested in 27 (16.3%) patients. Clinical remission was achieved more frequently when TOF was used as a first/second line rather than a third/fourth line treatment (p = 0.007). Mucosal healing was reported in 46% of patients at the median follow-up time. Colectomy occurred in 8 (4.8%) patients. Adverse events occurred in 12 (5.4%) patients and severe in 3 (1.8%). One case of simple Herpes Zoster and one of renal vein thrombosis were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

Our RW data confirm that TOF is effective and safe in UC patients. It performs remarkably better when used as the first/second line of treatment.

Impact of fellow participation on colon adenoma detection rates: a multicenter randomized trial

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

There are limited and conflicting data on the impact of fellow participation in improving the colon adenoma detection rate. We performed a multicenter randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether fellow involvement might have a beneficial effect on adenoma detection rate.

METHODS

The trial was conducted at 4 tertiary hospitals between April and December 2019. Eight hundred twelve patients were randomized to undergo colonoscopy performed by a fellow under the supervision of a staff endoscopist or by an attending physician alone.

RESULTS

No significant differences in demographic or adenoma risk factors were detected between the 2 groups. The adenoma detection rate in the intervention group was 44.8% versus 37.1% in the control arm (P = .02). The mean number of adenomas per colonoscopy was significantly higher in the intervention group (0.65 ± 0.3 vs 0.53 ± 0.2 in the control arm, P < .001). The polyp detection rate was 69.7% in the intervention group and 62.5% in the control arm (P = .03), whereas rates of advanced and sessile/serrated adenoma detection were not different between the trial arms (P = .50 and .42, respectively). In the subgroup of more experienced fellows, the adenoma detection rate and polyp detection rate were 49.5% and 75.7%, respectively. No difference was observed between less-experienced fellows and attending physicians alone (P = .53 and 0.86, respectively). The level of bowel preparation and fellow involvement were significant predictors of increased adenoma detection rate in a multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our multicenter trial represents the first prospective validation of the beneficial role of fellow involvement in colonoscopy procedures. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT03908229.).

Conditional survival analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with radiofrequency ablation

AIM

Survival estimates are commonly reported as survival from the first observation, but future survival probability changes based on the survival time already accumulated after therapy, otherwise known as conditional survival (CS). The aim of the study was to describe CS according to different prognostic variables in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

METHODS

Data on 125 very early/early HCC patients treated with RFA between 1999 and 2007 were analyzed. Actuarial survival estimates were computed by means of Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. The 5-year CS was calculated with stratification by several predictors for patients who had already survived up to 5 years from diagnosis.

RESULTS

Median overall survival (OS) was 72 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 58-86). Age, Child-Pugh (CP), α-fetoprotein (AFP), Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score and type of recurrence (early vs late) were significant predictors of OS. The 5-year CS rates of the entire study cohort assessed at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years from the treatment were 49%, 48%, 30% and 34%, respectively. Subgroup analysis confirmed age and CP as significant predictors of CS at all time points, while the CS of subgroups stratified by AFP and CLIP did not differ significantly from the 3rd year after RFA onward, as more advanced patients had probably escaped early recurrence.

CONCLUSION

CS analysis showed that the impact of different variables influencing OS is not linear over time after RFA. Information derived from the study can improve the current management of HCC patients.

Medical Systemic Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Clinical Perspectives and Safety Profile

A multidisciplinary approach based on clinical expertise and knowledge of molecular processes involved in hepatocarcinogenesis is needed for the proper management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Such information must be considered in the context of pathobiology of the underlying liver disease. New drugs targeting specific molecular steps in pathways involved in HCC growth and development bear the promise to radically modify the pharmacological therapies currently in use in hepatooncology. Sorafenib was the first drug approved in the setting of advanced HCC, but although it produces some improvement in survival, the responses are not durable. In addition, there are significant side effects. Other angiogenesis inhibitors are in development to treat HCC both in the first-line setting and after progression following sorafenib failure; among them, tivantinib, an inhibitor of cMET receptor, showed interesting results in a recent phase-II study. Additional agents currently studied for the treatment of HCC patients are briefly examined in this review. Aim of this paper is to discuss the state of the art in the management of advanced HCC patients, with a particular interest for the description of their side effects.

Role of vaptans in the management of hydroelectrolytic imbalance in liver cirrhosis

Ascites and hyponatremia are the most common complications in patients with liver cirrhosis and develop as a consequence of a severe impairment of liver function and portal hypertension. Increasing evidences support the central role of renal function alterations in the pathogenesis of hydroelectrolytic imbalances in cirrhotic patients, thus implying a dense cross-talk between liver and kidney in the systemic and splanchnic vascular homeostasis in such subjects. Since Arginin Vasopressin (AVP) hyperincretion occurs at late stage of cirrhosis and plays an important role in the development of refractory ascites, dilutional hyponatremia and finally hepato-renal syndrome, selective antagonists of AVP receptors V₂ (vaptans) have been recently introduced in the therapeutic algorithm of advanced cirrhotic patients. Despite the promising results of earlier phase-two studies, randomized controlled trials failed to find significant results in terms of efficacy of such drugs both in refractory ascites and hyponatremia. Moreover, concerns on their safety profile arise, due to the number of potentially severe side effects of vaptans in the clinical setting, such as hypernatremia, dehydration, renal impairment, and osmotic demyelination syndrome. More robust data from randomized controlled trials are needed in order to confirm the potential role of vaptans in the management of advanced cirrhotic patients.

Post-recurrence survival in hepatocellular carcinoma after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation

BACKGROUND

Overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation is influenced by both recurrence and successive treatments. We investigated post-recurrence survival after radiofrequency ablation.

METHODS

Data on 103 early/intermediate patients initially treated with radiofrequency ablation and followed for a median of 78 months (range 68-82) were retrospectively analysed. If intrahepatic disease recurrence occurred within or contiguous to the previously treated area it was defined as local, otherwise as distant; recurrence classified as Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C was defined by neoplastic portal vein thrombosis or metastases.

RESULTS

A total of 103 patients were included (82.5% male; median age 70 years, range 39-86). During follow-up, 64 recurrences were observed. Median overall survival was 62 months (95% confidence interval: 54-78) and survival rates were 97%, 65% and 52% at 1, 4 and 5 years, respectively. Median post-recurrence survival was 22 months (95% confidence interval: 16-35). Child-Pugh score, performance status, sum of tumour diameters at recurrence and recurrence patterns were independent predictors of post-recurrence survival.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation, clinical and tumour parameters assessed at relapse, in particular the type of recurrence pattern, influence post-recurrence survival.

Serum ferritin as a new prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with radiofrequency ablation

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Hepatic iron accumulation is considered to be a cofactor that influences liver injury and hepatocarcinogenesis. Aim of this study is to determine whether serum ferritin (SF) levels relate to overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence (TTR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA).

METHODS

We measured SF levels in 103 HCC patients (median age 70, M/F = 82.5%/17.5%) who underwent RFA between 2005 and 2010. Correlation between SF and other prognostic factors at baseline was analyzed. SF levels were entered into a Cox model and their influence on OS and TTR was evaluated in univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

SF did not correlate with α-fetoprotein (rho: -0.12, P = 0.22), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (rho: -0.1020, P = 0.30), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (rho: 0.18, P = 0.06), Child-Pugh score (P = 0.5), or Barcelona Cancer of the Liver Clinic stage (P = 0.16). A log-rank test found the value of 244 ng/mL as the optimal prognostic cut-off point for SF. Median OS was 62 months (54-78) and survival rate was 97%, 65%, and 52% at 1, 4, and 5 years, respectively. Performance status and SF were the only predictors of OS at multivariate analysis. Median TTR was 38 months (34-49) with a recurrence-free survival rate of 82.5%, 26.2%, and 23.3% at 1, 4, and 5 years, respectively, while SF and age were the only predictors of TTR.

CONCLUSIONS

SF level, possibly reflecting the degree of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis, is a negative risk factor for survival and recurrence after percutaneous RFA in HCC patients.

Are hematopoietic stem cells involved in hepatocarcinogenesis?

THE LIVER HAS THREE CELL LINEAGES ABLE TO PROLIFERATE AFTER A HEPATIC INJURY: the mature hepatocyte, the ductular "bipolar" progenitor cell termed "oval cell" and the putative periductular stem cell. Hepatocytes can only produce other hepatocytes whereas ductular progenitor cells are considerate bipolar since they can give rise to biliary cells or hepatocytes. Periductular stem cells are rare in the liver, have a very long proliferation potential and may be multipotent, being this aspect still under investigation. They originate in the bone marrow since their progeny express genetic markers of donor hematopoietic cells after bone marrow transplantation. Since the liver is the hematopoietic organ of the fetus, it is possible that hematopoietic stem cells may reside in the liver of the adult. This assumption is proved by the finding that oval cells express hematopoietic markers like CD34, CD45, CD 109, Thy-1, c-kit, and others, which are also expressed by bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem cells (BMSCs). Few and discordant studies have evaluated the role of BMSC in hepatocarcinogenesis so far and further studies in vitro and in vivo are warranted in order to definitively clarify such an issue.

Fibrogenesis and fibrosis in inflammatory bowel diseases: Good and bad side of same coin?

Fibrogenesis in inflammatory bowel diseases is a complex phenomenon aimed at mucosal repair. However, it may provoke intestinal fibrosis with the development of strictures which require surgery. Therefore, fibrogenesis may be considered as a “two-faced” process when related to chronic intestinal inflammation. Many types of cells may be converted into the fibrogenic phenotype at different levels of the intestinal wall. A complex interaction of cytokines, adhesion molecules and growth factors is involved in the process. We report an overview of recent advances in molecular mechanisms of stricturizing Crohn’s disease (CD) including the potential role of trasforming growth factor beta, protein kinase C and Ras, Raf and ERK proteins. Fibrotic growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor, as well as the Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition induced by transforming growth factor-β, are considered. Finally, our experience, focused on tumor necrosis factor α (the main cytokine of inflammatory bowel diseases) and the link between syndecan 1 (a heparan sulphate adhesion molecule) and basic fibroblast growth factor (a strong stimulator of collagen synthesis) is described. We hypothesize a possible molecular pattern for mucosal healing as well as how its deregulation could be involved in fibrotic complications of CD. A final clinical point is the importance of performing an accurate evaluation of the presence of fibrotic strictures before starting anti-tumor necrosis α treatment, which could worsen the lesions.

Tests de marche : une avancée dans l'évaluation fonctionnelle cardiorespiratoire

Exercise testing provides information on physical capacity during exercise in addition to spirometric measures of lung function or assessment on treadmills or ergonomic cycle. The "gold standard" assessment of exercise tolerance is measured in the laboratory using treadmills or ergonomic cycle but the necessary equipment is expensive and may not be readily accessible; such tests require people used to work with children. Walking tests are field tests providing a valid and easily accessible method of measuring function-limited exercise tolerance in patients with respiratory or cardiac chronic diseases. These walking tests are non-threatening, inexpensive, easy to perform and to understand for children. Walking tests performed in daily practice are the following: "time-based" tests (2-, 6- or 12-min walking test), 3-min step test (on a step) and the shuttle walking test. It may be a useful measure to assess therapeutic intervention and provide information on the prognosis. They are simple and safe methods to evaluate quality of life in these patients.

Reproducibility of the respiratory dead space measurements in mechanically ventilated children using the CO2SMO monitor

OBJECTIVES

To assess the reproducibility of respiratory dead space measurements in ventilated children.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

University pediatric intensive care unit.

PATIENTS

Thirty-two mechanically ventilated children (0.13-15.4 years) who were clinically stable.

METHODS

The single-breath CO(2) test (SBT-CO(2)) was recorded using the CO(2)SMO Plus from the mean of 30 ventilatory cycles during 1 h (at T0, T15, T30, T45, and T60). Airway dead space was determined automatically (Novametrix Medical Systems, USA), and manually by Bohr- Enghoff equations using data obtained by SBT-CO(2). At the end of the study period, arterial blood gas was sampled in order to calculate alveolar and physiologic dead space. Intrasubject reproducibility of measurements was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient. Two-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the relationships between time and measurements. The two methods for calculating airway dead space were compared by using two-tailed Student's t-test and Bland-Altman analysis.

RESULTS

Airway dead space measurement had a good reproducibility during the 1-h period, whatever the method used (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.84 to 0.87). No significant difference was observed with time. Airway dead space values from the SBT-CO(2) method were smaller than those from Bohr-Enghoff equations. Physiologic dead space values from the SBT-CO2 method were similar to those from Bohr-Enghoff equations.

CONCLUSION

The measurement of airway dead space by the CO(2)SMO Plus was reproducible over a 1-h period in children requiring mechanical ventilation, provided ventilatory parameters were constant throughout the study. SBT-CO(2) analysis may provide a bedside non-invasive monitoring of volumetric capnography.

[Reproducibility of the shuttle walk test in children with cystic fibrosis]

INTRODUCTION

Exercise testing is useful in the respiratory evaluation of patients with cystic fibrosis. The shuttle walk test (SWT) is a progressive, externally paced, exercise test requiring the subject to walk/run back and forth between two fixed points. The aim is to assess the reproductibility of the SWT in paediatric patients with cystic fibrosis.

METHODS

This prospective study recruited 31 children with stable disease. The patients performed two SWT one day (SWT 1 and 2) and two others (SWT 3 and 4) within 15 days. Only SWT 2 and 4 were assessed for reproducibility.

RESULTS

61% were boys, median age (range): 12.9 (7-18.9) years, median Shwachman score (range): 80 (65-100), median values for FEV1 and FVC (range): 92 (55-154) and 92 (64-140)% predicted, respectively. Median distance for SWT 2-4 (range): 910 (580-1020) and 925 (540-1020) metres. Reproducibility for SWT distance and physical activity measured by an accelerometer is very good (intra-class correlation coefficient=0.90 and 0.92, respectively). SWT distance correlated with physical activity (p=3.10(-4)) and weight (p=0.03). SWT distance was independent of the following parameters: height, weight-for-age Z-score, FEV1, FVC, Shwachman score, colonisation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

CONCLUSIONS

The SWT is reproducible in paediatric patients with cystic fibrosis and provides assessment of respiratory performance that complements spirometric measures of lung function.

[Development of a multiple PCR method for the identification of Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum]

Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum, also known as biovar parvum and biovar T960, respectively, could be associated with several disorders in men, women, and mainly, in newborn children with under weight. Several methods have been developed in order to identify the species or biovars of ureaplasmas. We developed a Multiplex-PCR method using the UPS-UPSA and UUS2-UUA2 primers, specific for U. parvum and U. urealyticum, respectively. This Multiplex-PCR method was used to identify cultures of clinical positive samples to Ureaplasma spp. by the "MYCOFAST Evolution-2" Kit. Of 56 positive cultures to Ureaplasma spp. from newborn children, 70% were U. parvum and 30% U. urealyticum; in 76 positive samples in women, 83% corresponded to U. parvum and 17% to U. urealyticum, while in 63 positive samples of men, 76% identified U. parvum and 24% U. urealyticum. The PCR-multiplex method showed specificity for the identification of the biovars or species of ureaplasmas of clinical interest.

Comparison of four methods for measuring elevation of FRC in mechanically ventilated infants

The aim of the study was to compare measurements of the elevation of functional residual capacity (FRC) above the relaxation volume obtained in 34 mechanically ventilated infants (median weight 2.6 kg, range 1.2-9) from four different methods: (1) direct measurement of the complete exhalation volume after brief disconnection from the ventilator, (2) calculated measurement from total positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) measured by end-expiratory occlusion of the breathing circuit, (3) extrapolated evaluation from the mathematical model of Brody, (4) extrapolated evaluation from the passive expiration method. We considered the direct measurement (1) as the "gold standard". Measurements obtained by total PEEP (2) and by the Brody's mathematical model (3) provided similar results than the direct measurement. Conversely, graphical extrapolation from the passive expiration method (4) underestimated the elevation of FRC. In conclusion, we suggest using the mathematical extrapolation from the Brody's model to evaluate the elevation of FRC in mechanically ventilated infants: this method is non-invasive, does not require disruption of gas flow, can be easily performed with all the neonatal ventilators, and allows continuous breath-by-breath measurements.

[Isocapnic hyperventilation test adjusted to child's resting ventilation rate]

In order to validate an Isocapnic Voluntary Hyperventilation (IVH) test applicable to daily practice and to adapt the stimulus to height, 9 healthy and 15 asthmatic children performed a Resting Ventilation Rate (RVR)-corrected IVH. They performed a three-minute IVH with room temperature dry air achieving twice (IVH2) and three times (IVH3) their RVR. Mean Maximal Expiratory Flow (MEF) in the middle half of Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) (MEF25-75%) and mean MEF at 25% of FVC (MEF25%) are decreased in the asthmatic group 10 minutes IVH3 (p = 0.02 and < 0.002) compared to healthy group. Mean FEV1 of both group are not different. Comparing Forced Expiratory Flows variation after IVH to baseline intrasubject coefficient of variation, sensitivity of the test is 80% and specificity 100% when variations of MEF25-75% and MEF25% together with FEV1 variations are considered. This suggests an easy way to adapt an hyperventilation stimulus to size and emphasizes the utility of taking account of MEF25-75% and MEF25% in detecting non specific bronchial hyperreactivity in asthmatic children.

[Asthma in infants. Clinical and functional aspects]

BACKGROUND

The incidence of asthma in infancy is rising but its clinical and physiological components remain unclear.

METHODS

A total of 24 infants, aged less than 48 months, in whom the first wheezing episode (WE) appeared before the age of 30 months (mean age: 9 months) underwent clinical examination and pulmonary function tests at least 2 weeks after the last WE.

RESULTS

The mean WE frequency was 1.1 per month and the mean number of admissions for WE was 1.8. 63% of patients showed symptoms between WE and 50% had an allergic profile. There was no evidence of thoracic distension. Bronchial obstruction (BO) occurred in 71% of patients; among these, BO was distal or generalized in 59% and medium or severe in 47%. 12.5% of patients were hypoxemic at testing. BO was less severe in patients treated with theophylline; it was more frequent (87%) in those with symptoms between WE and/or several admissions, and/or admission to the intensive care unit.

CONCLUSION

This study provides additional evidence that infants presenting with asthma at an early age have severe clinical and physiological profiles.