Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity and Disability Following Discontinuation of Natalizumab for Pregnancy.

Importance: The magnitude of risk of pregnancy-related multiple sclerosis relapses, particularly severe relapses, following natalizumab cessation is unclear, as is whether this risk is reduced by pregnancy or other modifiable factors.

Objective: To determine the association of early natalizumab withdrawal before or during pregnancy with risk of severe relapses and relapse-related disability.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This prospective cohort study used data from the German Multiple Sclerosis and Pregnancy Registry, which enrolled participants between November 2006 and February 2018.

Transmission of CARD15 (NOD2) variants within families of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objectives: Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CARD15 have been independently associated with Crohn's disease (CD). Since nothing is known about the transmission of these variants within families, this was the subject of our study in Flemish patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and their healthy relatives.

Methods: A cohort of 1,670 individuals (570 CD, 173 UC, 165 healthy controls, 762 first-degree unaffected relatives of CD patients) was genotyped for Arg702Trp, Gly908Arg, and Leu1007fsinsC.

Autoimmunity associated with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha treatment in Crohn's disease: a prospective cohort study.

Background & Aims: Infliximab therapy is an effective approach to treating Crohn's disease. Development of antinuclear antibodies has been described in patients treated, but the size of the problem and the relationship with autoimmunity have not been investigated. We investigated the occurrence of antinuclear antibodies in 125 consecutive Crohn's disease patients and studied the relationship with symptoms of autoimmunity.

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist VNTR-polymorphism in inflammatory bowel disease.

Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in the etiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) i.e., Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Serological markers for prediction of response to anti-tumor necrosis factor treatment in Crohn's disease.

Objectives: The use of monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibodies (infliximab, Remicade) is a new therapeutic approach for severe refractory luminal or fistulizing, Crohn's disease (CD). However, up to 30% of patients do not respond to this treatment. So far, no parameters predictive of response to anti-TNF have been identified.