Long-term outcome of enterocutaneous fistula in patients with Crohn's disease treated with anti-TNF therapy: a cohort study from the GETAID.

Objectives: Although anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy is the treatment of choice for perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (CD), the efficacy and safety of anti-TNF therapy in enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) remains unclear.

Methods: Between January 2008 and December 2009, we retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of all CD patients with ECF (excluding perianal fistula) treated with anti-TNF therapy followed up in Groupe d'Etude Thérapeutique des Affections Inflammatoires du tube Digestif (GETAID) centers. ECF closure and tolerance of anti-TNF therapy were studied using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the region of CLDN2-MORC4 in relation to inflammatory bowel disease.

Aim: To investigate a possible genetic influence of claudin (CLDN)1, CLDN2 and CLDN4 in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods: Allelic association between genetic regions of CLDN1, CLDN2 or CLDN4 and patients with inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis were investigated using both a case-control study approach (one case randomly selected from each of 191 Swedish inflammatory bowel disease families and 333 controls) and a family-based study (463 non-Swedish European inflammatory bowel disease -families). A nonsynonymous coding single nucleotide polymorphism in MORC4, located on the same linkage block as CLDN2, was investigated for association, as were two novel CLDN2 single nucleotide polymorphism markers, identified by resequencing.

Genotype/phenotype analyses for 53 Crohn's disease associated genetic polymorphisms.

Background & Aims: Recent studies reported a role for more than 70 genes or loci in the susceptibility to Crohn's disease (CD). However, the impact of these associations in clinical practice remains to be defined. The aim of the study was to analyse the relationship between genotypes and phenotypes for the main 53 CD-associated polymorphisms.

Development and validation of a patient-reported disability measurement tool for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease can impact on a patient's ability to maintain normal physical and mental function, and fulfil their social, family and work roles. Aspects of disability in IBD have received little attention.

Aim: To develop, validate and apply a questionnaire directed towards evaluating these disease aspects.

Ciclosporin versus infliximab in patients with severe ulcerative colitis refractory to intravenous steroids: a parallel, open-label randomised controlled trial.

Background: Ciclosporin and infliximab are potential rescue treatments to avoid colectomy in patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis refractory to intravenous corticosteroids. We compared the efficacy and safety of these drugs for this indication.

Methods: In this parallel, open-label, randomised controlled trial, patients were aged at least 18 years, had an acute severe flare of ulcerative colitis defined by a Lichtiger score greater than 10 points, and had been given an unsuccessful course of high-dose intravenous steroids.