Real-life treatment persistence and treatment outcomes of Finnish patients with inflammatory bowel disease receiving vedolizumab as first-line biological treatment.

Purpose: To analyze treatment persistence and treatment outcomes of vedolizumab as first-line biological treatment in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients in a Finnish real-world setting.

Methods: Observational, retrospective, multi-center chart review study that included adult CD and UC patients initiating vedolizumab as first-line biological treatment between 2014 and 2020.

Results: The cohort consisted of 54 CD and 69 UC patients.

Prognostic subgroups of chronic pain patients using latent variable mixture modeling within a supervised machine learning framework.

The present study combined a supervised machine learning framework with an unsupervised method, finite mixture modeling, to identify prognostically meaningful subgroups of diverse chronic pain patients undergoing interdisciplinary treatment. Questionnaire data collected at pre-treatment and 1-year follow up from 11,995 patients from the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation were used. Indicators measuring pain characteristics, psychological aspects, and social functioning and general health status were used to form subgroups, and pain interference at follow-up was used for the selection and the performance evaluation of models.

The need for surgery in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with biologicals.

Purpose: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in childhood often presents with a more extensive and more aggressive disease course than adult-onset disease. We aimed to evaluate if biological treatment started in childhood decreases the need for intestinal surgery over time.

Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center, cohort study.

Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation for patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorders.

Objective: Chronic pain is a common manifestation of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorders; thus it is often suggested that patients undergo generic interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation, despite there being little evidence to support this decision. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of standard rehabilitation programmes for chronic pain on patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorders, compared with patients with other chronic pain disorders.

Subjects: Data, collected between 2008 and 2016, were extracted from a Swedish national registry.

Tofacitinib real-world experience in ulcerative colitis in Finland (FinTofUC): a retrospective non-interventional multicenter patient chart data study.

Objectives: The aim was to define the effectiveness of tofacitinib and to characterize the patient population receiving tofacitinib in a real-world cohort clinical setting for ulcerative colitis (UC) in Finland.

Methods: This is a retrospective non-interventional multicenter patient chart data study conducted in 23 Finnish Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) centers. Baseline demographic and clinical data, clinical remission, steroid-free remission rate and time to tofacitinib discontinuation, colectomy or UC-related hospitalization were studied.

A New Digital Health Program for Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Preliminary Program Evaluation.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. IBD is characterized by an unpredictable disease course that varies greatly between individuals and alternates between the periods of relapse and remission. A low energy level (fatigue) is a common symptom, whereas stress and reduced sleep quality may be the triggering factors.

Work Interventions Within Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Programs (IPRP) - Frequency, Patient Characteristics, and Association with Self-Rated Work Ability.

Background: Interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs (IPRPs) help people with chronic pain improve their health and manage their work; however, the way IPRPs address sick leave could be improved. Although work interventions can be a part of IPRP, it is not well known how and to what extent.

Aim: This study explores the frequency of work interventions and the characteristics of patients who participate in work interventions as part of IPRP at specialist pain rehabilitation departments in Sweden.

Fear network and pain extent: Interplays among psychological constructs related to the fear-avoidance model.

Objective: Psychological constructs related to the fear-avoidance model such as fear of movement, pain catastrophizing, and affective distress have been found to be inter-related among patients with chronic pain. However, relationships of these constructs have mostly been examined using regression-based analyses. This cross-sectional study employs a novel analytical approach, network analysis, to illustrate the complex interplays among these variables as well as pain intensity and pain interference.

Therapeutic drug monitoring in inflammatory bowel disease: implementation, utilization, and barriers in clinical practice in Scandinavia.

Background And Aims: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) may optimize biologic and thiopurine therapies in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study aimed to investigate implementation and utilization of TDM in Scandinavia.

Methods: A web-based questionnaire on the use of TDM was distributed to Scandinavian gastroenterologists via the national societies.

Effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the workflow of endoscopy units: an international survey.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a challenge to healthcare. Staff and patients are at increased risk during an examination or intervention, so certain restrictions ought to be introduced. Hence, we aimed to measure the effect of the pandemic on endoscopy units in real-life settings.

Occupational Exposure during Asphalt Paving-Comparison of Hot and Warm Mix Asphalt in Field Experiments.

Objectives: Several studies have demonstrated an increased risk of adverse health effects, including reduced lung function and lung cancer among asphalt pavers, which has been related to occupational exposure to contaminants during asphalt paving. Consequently, occupational exposure among asphalt pavers must be reduced. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of hot mix asphalt (HMA) and warm mix asphalt (WMA) paving on occupational exposure levels during road paving in field experiments.

Ulcerative Colitis Narrative Global Survey Findings: The Impact of Living With Ulcerative Colitis-Patients' and Physicians' View.

Background: The Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Narrative is a global patient and physician survey aimed at identifying the impact of UC and comparing and contrasting perceptions of UC burden and management approaches.

Methods: Surveys of patients with UC (self-reported diagnosis; n = 2100) and physicians (n = 1254) were completed across 10 countries by The Harris Poll between August 2017 and February 2018. Questionnaires covered multiple aspects of UC, including diagnosis, treatment, and impact on patient quality of life, in addition to standard demographic information.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Syndrome Compared with Other Common Chronic Pain Diagnoses-A Study from the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation.

Although chronic pain is common in patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility syndromes (HMS), little is known about the clinical characteristics of these groups. The main aim was to compare EDS/HMS with common local and generalized pain conditions with respect to Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). Data from the Swedish Quality Register for Chronic Pain (SQRP) from 2007 to 2016 ( = 40,518) were used, including patients with EDS/HMS ( = 795), fibromyalgia ( = 5791), spinal pain ( = 6693), and whiplash associated disorders (WAD) ( = 1229).

Patients selected to participate in multimodal pain rehabilitation programmes in primary care-a multivariate cross-sectional study focusing on gender and sick leave.

Background and aims A multimodal rehabilitation programme (MMRP) is an evidence-based treatment of chronic pain conditions. The complexity involved in chronic pain needs to be identified and evaluated in order to adapt the rehabilitation to patients' needs. The aim was to investigate the multivariate relationships between self-reported variables in patients with chronic pain before taking part in MMRP in primary care, with a special focus on gender and degree of sick leave.

Long-term outcomes of multimodal rehabilitation in primary care for patients with chronic pain.

Objectives: To investigate the outcomes 1 year after multimodal rehabilitation programmes in primary care for patients with chronic pain, both as a whole and for men and women separately. A second aim was to identify predictive factors for not being on sickness absence at follow-up after 1 year.

Methods: A prospective longitudinal cohort study of 234 patients, 34 men and 200 women, age range 18-65 years, who participated in multimodal rehabilitation programmes in primary care in 2 Swedish county councils.

Relationship of faecal calprotectin and long-term outcomes in Finnish patients with Crohn's disease: retrospective multi-centre chart review study.

A retrospective non-interventional, multi-centre patient chart review study was conducted to investigate the association of faecal calprotectin (FC) 1 year (±2 months) after biological therapy initiation with composite event-free survival (CEFS) consisting of surgical procedures, corticosteroid initiation, treatment failure or dose increase in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). In addition, the correlations of FC and other tests of disease activity were assessed. Data on Finnish CD patients initiating a biological therapy between 2010 and 2016, were collected.

Impact of ulcerative colitis on patients' lives: results of the Finnish extension of a global ulcerative colitis narrative survey.

The Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Narrative is a global initiative to engage patients with UC, in order to help identify the impact of UC on patients' lives. The aim of the UC Narrative extension survey in Finland was to identify and describe the unmet needs in quality care. Seventeen Finnish physicians were surveyed in the original UC Narrative survey between 7 December 2017 and 24 January 2018.

Characterization of inflammatory bowel disease management by vedolizumab and concomitant treatments in real-life clinical practice.

Limited data is available on vedolizumab combination therapies in real-world clinical practice. Here, we evaluated the concomitant corticosteroid, immunosuppressive, and 5-aminosalicylic acid utilization of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients treated with vedolizumab in a nationwide, retrospective, non-interventional, multi-centre chart review study. All adult patients from 27 Finnish gastroenterology centres with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) who had at least one vedolizumab infusion since it's availability in Finland were included in the study.

The impacts of an inflammatory bowel disease nurse specialist on the quality of care and costs in Finland.

Introduction: A specialized inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) nurse is considered a valuable and cost-effective member of a multidisciplinary team, not all clinics responsible for IBD care employ such nurses. We evaluated IBD nurse resources, quality of care and cost effects on IBD patients care in a nationwide study in Finland.

Methods: A healthcare professional electronic survey was conducted in order to assess the impact of an IBD nurse on the quality of care.

The role of pain in chronic pain patients' perception of health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional SQRP study of 40,000 patients.

Background and aims Health-related quality of life (Hr-QoL) reflects the burden of a condition on an overarching level. Pain intensity, disability and other factors influence how patients with chronic pain perceive their condition, e.g.

Effectiveness and Safety of Vedolizumab in Anti-TNF-Naïve Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease-A Multicenter Retrospective European Study.

Background: Vedolizumab (VDZ) is effective for treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). In GEMINI trials, anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF)-naïve patients had a superior response compared with anti-TNF-exposed patients. In real-world experience (RWE), the number of included anti-TNF-naïve patients was low.