Publications by authors named "Sara McCartney"

Background: Ustekinumab was approved in 2016 for the treatment of moderate-severe Crohn's disease (CD). Clinical trials and real-world studies have suggested ustekinumab to be a safe and effective treatment; however, studies to date infrequently use imaging techniques to predict response to biologics in CD.

Objectives: We assessed the 2-year real-world effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab in a tertiary CD cohort with the use of novel imaging techniques.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examines the effectiveness of sequential drug treatments for ulcerative colitis (UC), specifically comparing the use of vedolizumab (VDZ) and anti-TNF therapies as second-line treatments.
  • Researchers analyzed data from patients who switched treatments between May 2013 and August 2020, looking at various health outcomes over a 52-week period.
  • Results indicated that patients receiving VDZ after anti-TNF had significantly better treatment persistence, colectomy-free survival, and clinical remission compared to those receiving anti-TNF after VDZ, suggesting a favorable effect of the treatment order on patient outcomes.
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Objective: To evaluate the impact of structured transition from pediatric to adult inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) services on objective patient outcomes, including disease flares, admission rates, and healthcare resource use.

Methods: A retrospective observational study in 11 United Kingdom gastroenterology centers. Transition patients attended ≥2 visits to the gastroenterology service with both pediatric and adult personnel jointly present; non-transition patients transferred to adult services without joint visits.

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Background & Aims: Siblings of people with Crohn's disease (CD) share aspects of the disease phenotype (raised faecal calprotectin, altered microbiota), which are markers of risk for their own development of CD. The aim was to determine whether supplementation with prebiotic oligofructose/inulin induces a prebiotic response and impacts the risk phenotype in CD patients and siblings.

Methods: Patients with inactive CD (n = 19, CD activity index <150) and 12 of their unaffected siblings (with calprotectin >50 μg/g) ingested oligofructose/inulin (15 g/day) for three weeks.

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Background: Although intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) is effective in treating iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (pIBD), no data are available on its post-infusion related risks.

Aims: We assessed the efficacy of FCM and the rate of post-infusion hypophosphatemia in a large cohort of children with IBD and IDA.

Methods: All children with IBD with IDA treated with FCM over 5-year period were reviewed.

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Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Each class and type of medication available for the treatment of IBD has distinct characteristics and long-term effects that a patient may consider. We present the results of qualitative research that aimed to develop a descriptive framework that outlines the most relevant disease and/or treatment attributes for IBD treatment decisions and focuses on the patient perspective.

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The era of biologic agents for the treatment of Crohn's disease has brought about significant benefits for patients, and since the introduction of infliximab at the turn of the century, the entire field has moved on rapidly. Clinicians now have multiple agents at their disposal and a choice between several different anti-inflammatory mechanisms of action. This has allowed unprecedented improvements not only in symptoms and quality of life for patients previously refractory to conventional treatments but also for demonstrated healing of the intestinal mucosa and resolution of perianal fistulation.

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Background: Magnetic resonance enterography and enteric ultrasonography are used to image Crohn's disease patients. Their diagnostic accuracy for presence, extent and activity of enteric Crohn's disease was compared.

Objective: To compare diagnostic accuracy, observer variability, acceptability, diagnostic impact and cost-effectiveness of magnetic resonance enterography and ultrasonography in newly diagnosed or relapsing Crohn's disease.

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Background And Aims: There are no universally accepted guidelines regarding surveillance of ulcerative colitis [UC] patients after restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis [IPAA]. There also exists a lack of validated quality assurance standards for performing pouchoscopy. To better understand IPAA surveillance practices in the face of this clinical equipoise, we carried out a retrospective cohort study at five inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] referral centres.

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Background And Aims: The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are particularly common among the Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) population. Population-specific estimates of familial risk are important for counseling; however, relatively small cohorts of AJ IBD patients have been analyzed for familial risk to date. This study aimed to recruit a new cohort of AJ IBD patients, mainly from the UK, to determine the familial occurrence of disease.

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Background: Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) and ultrasound are used to image Crohn's disease, but their comparative accuracy for assessing disease extent and activity is not known with certainty. Therefore, we did a multicentre trial to address this issue.

Methods: We recruited patients from eight UK hospitals.

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The risks of poor transition include delayed and inappropriate transfer that can result in disengagement with healthcare. Structured transition care can improve control of chronic digestive diseases and long-term health-related outcomes. These are the first nationally developed guidelines on the transition of adolescent and young persons (AYP) with chronic digestive diseases from paediatric to adult care.

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Background: Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the operation of choice for patients with treatment-refractory ulcerative colitis. However, after this intervention, up to 50% of patients develop pouchitis. Moreover, a subgroup will also develop inflammation in the afferent ileum proximal to the pouch, a condition named prepouch ileitis (PI).

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Objective: To determine the existence of mucosal dysbiosis in siblings of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) using 454 pyrosequencing and to comprehensively characterise and determine the influence of genotypical and phenotypical factors, on that dysbiosis. Siblings of patients with CD have elevated risk of developing CD and display aspects of disease phenotype, including faecal dysbiosis. Whether the mucosal microbiota is disrupted in these at-risk individuals is unknown.

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Objective: The purpose of this article is to describe the MRI findings associated with lymphoid nodular hyperplasia at MR enterography and test the ability of radiologists to differentiate healthy control subjects from patients with Crohn disease (CD).

Materials And Methods: Ethical approval was granted for this retrospective study. Thirty-five subjects (nine with lymphoid nodular hyperplasia, 13 with CD, and 13 control subjects) who had undergone MR enterography and ileocolonoscopy were identified from the hospital database.

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Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is a lifelong, relapsing and remitting inflammatory condition of the intestine. Medical imaging is crucial for diagnosis, phenotyping, activity assessment and detecting complications. Diverse small bowel imaging tests are available but a standard algorithm for deployment is lacking.

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Objective: Crohn's disease (CD) is associated with intestinal dysbiosis, altered blood T cell populations, elevated faecal calprotectin (FC) and increased intestinal permeability (IP). CD-associated features present in siblings (increased risk of CD) but not in healthy controls, provide insight into early CD pathogenesis. We aimed to (1) Delineate the genetic, immune and microbiological profile of patients with CD, their siblings and controls and (2) Determine which factors discriminate between groups.

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Objectives: To develop an MRI enterography global score (MEGS) of Crohn's disease (CD) activity compared with a reference standard of faecal calprotectin (fC), C-reactive protein (CRP) and Harvey-Bradshaw index (HBI).

Methods: Calprotectin, CRP and HBI were prospectively recorded for 71 patients (median age 33, male 35) with known/suspected CD undergoing MRI enterography. Two observers in consensus scored activity for nine bowel segments, grading mural thickness, T2 signal, mesenteric oedema, T1 enhancement and pattern, and haustral loss.

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Azathioprine is a commonly used immunosuppressive agent in post-transplantation regimens and autoimmune diseases. An increased risk of lymphoma with thiopurine therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease has been described previously; however, there are few reported cases of azathioprine therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukaemia. We report two patients with ulcerative colitis who subsequently developed azathioprine-related myelodysplastic syndrome.

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The outcome of transition from paediatric to adult care is often judged by what happens after transfer. Young people at the point of transfer are reported to have low levels of knowledge and independence. These observations could be interpreted in one of two ways: either that the transition process before transfer is inadequate or that the transition process needs to continue into young adulthood and therefore adult care.

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Worldwide prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is approximately 50%, with the highest being in developing countries. We compared cure rates and tolerability (SE) of second-line anti-H.

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Aim: To compare high resolution colonoscopy (Olympus Lucera) with a megapixel high resolution system (Pentax HiLine) as an in-service evaluation.

Methods: Polyp detection rates and measures of performance were collected for 269 colonoscopy procedures. Five colonoscopists conducted the study over a three month period, as part of the United Kingdom bowel cancer screening program.

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The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in childhood is increasing with a phenotype now established as one of complicated and extensive disease. Adolescent patients form a significant proportion of those requiring lifelong care. One of the most important steps in establishing a personal ability to effectively manage chronic disease is appropriate education, communication and a good relationship with healthcare professionals and a successful transition programme and subsequent transfer to adult care underpins this.

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Anti-tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF) therapy has revolutionised the management of chronic inflammatory conditions. With ever increasing numbers of patients being treated with these agents, uncommon adverse reactions will inevitably occur more frequently. Cutaneous manifestations are associated with many of these chronic conditions and can complicate anti-TNF therapy in about 20% of cases.

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