AIM: To evaluate the role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), we investigated the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NOD2/CARD15 (R702W, Gg08R an...AIM: To evaluate the role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), we investigated the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NOD2/CARD15 (R702W, Gg08R and L1007finsC), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) genes (D299G and T399I) in a selected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population coming from Southern Italy. METHODS: Allele and genotype frequencies of NOD2/ CARD15 (R702W, Gg08R and L1007finsC) and TLR4 (D299G and T399I) SNPs were examined in 133 CD patients, in 45 UC patients, and in 103 healthy controls. A genotype-phenotype correlation was performed. RESULTS: NOD2/CARD15 R702W mutation was significantly more frequent in CD (9.8%) than in controls (2.4%, P = 0.001) and in UC (2.3%, P = 0.03). No significant difference was found between UC patients and control group (P 〉 0.05). In CD and UC patients, no significant association with G908R variant was found. L1007finsC SNP showed an association with CD (9.8%) compared with controls (2.9%, P = 0.002) and UC patients (2.3%, P = 0.01). Moreover, in CD patients, G908R and L1007finsC mutations were significantly associated with different phenotypes compared to CD wild-type patients. No association of IBD with the TLR4 SNPs was found in either cohort (allele frequencies: D299G-controls 3.9%, CD 3.7%, UC 3.4%, P 〉 0.05; T399I-controls 2.9%, CD 3.0%, UC 3.4%, P 〉 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings confirm that, in our IBD patients selected from Southern Italy, the NOD2/ CARD15, but not TLR4 SNPs, are associated with increased risk of CD.展开更多
In the past decade, thanks to the introduction of biologic therapies, a new therapeutic goal, mucosal healing(MH), has been introduced. MH is the expression of an arrest of disease progression, resulting in minor hosp...In the past decade, thanks to the introduction of biologic therapies, a new therapeutic goal, mucosal healing(MH), has been introduced. MH is the expression of an arrest of disease progression, resulting in minor hospitalizations, surgeries, and prolonged clinical remission. MH may be achieved with several therapeutic strategies reaching success rates up to 80% for both, ulcerative colitis(UC) and Crohn's disease(CD). Various scoring systems for UC and for the transmural CD, have been proposed to standardize the definition of MH. Several attempts have been undertaken to de-escalate therapy once MH is achieved, thus, reducing the risk of adverse events. In this review, we analysed the available studies regarding the achievement of MH and the subsequent treatment de-escalation according to disease type and administered therapy, together with non-invasive markers proposed as predictors for relapse. The available data are not encouraging since de-escalation after the achievement of MH is followed by a high number of clinical relapses reaching up to 50% within one year. Unclear is also another question, in case of combination therapies, which drug is more appropriate to stop, in order to guarantee a durable remission. Predictors of unfavourable outcome such as disease extension, perianal disease, or early onset disease appear to be inadequate to foresee behaviour of disease. Further studies are warranted to investigate the role of histologic healing for the further course of disease.展开更多
AIM To assess the impact of short infliximab(IFX) infusion on hospital resource utilization and costs.METHODS All inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD) patients who received IFX 1 h infusion from March 2007 to September 20...AIM To assess the impact of short infliximab(IFX) infusion on hospital resource utilization and costs.METHODS All inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD) patients who received IFX 1 h infusion from March 2007 to September 2014 in eight centers from Southern Italy were included in the analysis. Demographic, clinical and infusion related data were collected. The potential benefits related to the short infusion protocol were assessed both in terms of time saving and increased infusion unit capacity. In addition, indirect patient-related cost savings were evaluated.RESULTS One hundred and twenty-five patients were recruited(64 with ulcerative colitis and 61 with Crohn's disease). Median duration of disease was of 53 mo and mean age of pts at diagnosis was of 34 years(SD: ± 13). Adverse infusion reactions were reported in less than 4% both before and after short infusion. The total number of infusions across the selected centers was of 2501(30.5% short infusions). In the analyzed cohort, 1143 h were saved(762 in the infusion and 381 in observation phases) through the rapid IFX infusion protocol. This time saving(-15% compared to the standard protocol in infusion phase) represents, from the hospital perspective, an opportunity to optimize infusion unit capacity by allocating the saved time in alternative cost-effective treatments. This is the case of opportunity cost that represents the value of forgone benefit which could be obtained from a resource in its next-best alternative use. Hence, an extra hour of infusion in the case of standard 2-h IFX represents a loss in opportunity to provide other cost effective services. The analysis showed that the short infusion increased the infusion units capacity up to 50% on days when the IFX infusions were scheduled(infusion phase). Furthermore, the analysis showed that the short IFX infusion protocol leads to time savings also in the post-infusion phase(observation) leading to a time saving of 10% on average among the analyzed centers. Finally, the short infusion protocol has been demonstrated to lead to indirect cost savings of €138/patient(average-€17.300 on the whole cohort).CONCLUSION A short IFX infusion protocol can be considered time and cost saving in comparison to the standard infusion protocol both from the hospital's perspective, as it contributes to increase infusion units capacity, and the patients' perspective, as it reduces indirect costs and the impact of treatment on everyday life and work productivity.展开更多
文摘AIM: To evaluate the role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), we investigated the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of NOD2/CARD15 (R702W, Gg08R and L1007finsC), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) genes (D299G and T399I) in a selected inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population coming from Southern Italy. METHODS: Allele and genotype frequencies of NOD2/ CARD15 (R702W, Gg08R and L1007finsC) and TLR4 (D299G and T399I) SNPs were examined in 133 CD patients, in 45 UC patients, and in 103 healthy controls. A genotype-phenotype correlation was performed. RESULTS: NOD2/CARD15 R702W mutation was significantly more frequent in CD (9.8%) than in controls (2.4%, P = 0.001) and in UC (2.3%, P = 0.03). No significant difference was found between UC patients and control group (P 〉 0.05). In CD and UC patients, no significant association with G908R variant was found. L1007finsC SNP showed an association with CD (9.8%) compared with controls (2.9%, P = 0.002) and UC patients (2.3%, P = 0.01). Moreover, in CD patients, G908R and L1007finsC mutations were significantly associated with different phenotypes compared to CD wild-type patients. No association of IBD with the TLR4 SNPs was found in either cohort (allele frequencies: D299G-controls 3.9%, CD 3.7%, UC 3.4%, P 〉 0.05; T399I-controls 2.9%, CD 3.0%, UC 3.4%, P 〉 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings confirm that, in our IBD patients selected from Southern Italy, the NOD2/ CARD15, but not TLR4 SNPs, are associated with increased risk of CD.
文摘In the past decade, thanks to the introduction of biologic therapies, a new therapeutic goal, mucosal healing(MH), has been introduced. MH is the expression of an arrest of disease progression, resulting in minor hospitalizations, surgeries, and prolonged clinical remission. MH may be achieved with several therapeutic strategies reaching success rates up to 80% for both, ulcerative colitis(UC) and Crohn's disease(CD). Various scoring systems for UC and for the transmural CD, have been proposed to standardize the definition of MH. Several attempts have been undertaken to de-escalate therapy once MH is achieved, thus, reducing the risk of adverse events. In this review, we analysed the available studies regarding the achievement of MH and the subsequent treatment de-escalation according to disease type and administered therapy, together with non-invasive markers proposed as predictors for relapse. The available data are not encouraging since de-escalation after the achievement of MH is followed by a high number of clinical relapses reaching up to 50% within one year. Unclear is also another question, in case of combination therapies, which drug is more appropriate to stop, in order to guarantee a durable remission. Predictors of unfavourable outcome such as disease extension, perianal disease, or early onset disease appear to be inadequate to foresee behaviour of disease. Further studies are warranted to investigate the role of histologic healing for the further course of disease.
文摘AIM To assess the impact of short infliximab(IFX) infusion on hospital resource utilization and costs.METHODS All inflammatory bowel diseases(IBD) patients who received IFX 1 h infusion from March 2007 to September 2014 in eight centers from Southern Italy were included in the analysis. Demographic, clinical and infusion related data were collected. The potential benefits related to the short infusion protocol were assessed both in terms of time saving and increased infusion unit capacity. In addition, indirect patient-related cost savings were evaluated.RESULTS One hundred and twenty-five patients were recruited(64 with ulcerative colitis and 61 with Crohn's disease). Median duration of disease was of 53 mo and mean age of pts at diagnosis was of 34 years(SD: ± 13). Adverse infusion reactions were reported in less than 4% both before and after short infusion. The total number of infusions across the selected centers was of 2501(30.5% short infusions). In the analyzed cohort, 1143 h were saved(762 in the infusion and 381 in observation phases) through the rapid IFX infusion protocol. This time saving(-15% compared to the standard protocol in infusion phase) represents, from the hospital perspective, an opportunity to optimize infusion unit capacity by allocating the saved time in alternative cost-effective treatments. This is the case of opportunity cost that represents the value of forgone benefit which could be obtained from a resource in its next-best alternative use. Hence, an extra hour of infusion in the case of standard 2-h IFX represents a loss in opportunity to provide other cost effective services. The analysis showed that the short infusion increased the infusion units capacity up to 50% on days when the IFX infusions were scheduled(infusion phase). Furthermore, the analysis showed that the short IFX infusion protocol leads to time savings also in the post-infusion phase(observation) leading to a time saving of 10% on average among the analyzed centers. Finally, the short infusion protocol has been demonstrated to lead to indirect cost savings of €138/patient(average-€17.300 on the whole cohort).CONCLUSION A short IFX infusion protocol can be considered time and cost saving in comparison to the standard infusion protocol both from the hospital's perspective, as it contributes to increase infusion units capacity, and the patients' perspective, as it reduces indirect costs and the impact of treatment on everyday life and work productivity.