Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases Awareness and Management among Physicians Treating Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An IG-IBD Survey.

(1) : Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is frequently associated to other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). This study aims at assessing physicians' awareness of the issue and the current status of IMID management. (2) : A web-based survey was distributed to all 567 physicians affiliated to IG-IBD.

Role of ustekinumab in treatment of ulcerative colitis: a narrative review.

The therapeutic armamentarium for gastroenterologists in treating ulcerative colitis (UC) has been rapidly growing since the introduction of monoclonal antibodies directed against anti-TNFs. Ustekinumab is a monoclonal antibody binding the shared p40 subunit of IL-12 and IL-23, and the inhibition of these two cytokines, implicated in host response to microbial pathogens, has demonstrated clinical efficacy in different immune-mediated diseases, including moderate-to-severe UC. This narrative review summarizes the newest clinical evidence regarding the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab in moderate-to-severe UC, including specific situations (pregnancy, breastfeeding, elderly/pediatric populations, extraintestinal manifestations, acute severe UC, pouchitis and dual biological therapy).

Safety and effectiveness of tofacitinib in ulcerative colitis: Data from TOFA-UC, a SN-IBD study.

Background: Real-world evidence is needed to determine the value of tofacitinib (TOFA) for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC).

Aim: To assess the safety and effectiveness of TOFA in clinical practice.

Methods: TOFA-UC is a multicenter, observational study performed among the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SN-IBD).

Ustekinumab is a promising option for the treatment of postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease.

Background And Aim: Postoperative recurrence (POR) following ileocolonic resection is a major concern in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The role of ustekinumab (UST) in this setting is poorly known.

Methods: All consecutive CD patients with a baseline colonoscopy at 6-12 months from ileocolonic resection showing POR (Rutgeerts score ≥ i2) who were treated with UST after the baseline colonoscopy and with an available post-treatment endoscopy, were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (SN-IBD).

Sarcopenia is a negative predictive factor for endoscopic remission in patients with Crohn's disease treated with biologics.

Background: Sarcopenia has been associated with poor prognosis in chronic diseases.

Aims: To investigate the role of sarcopenia in predicting clinical and endoscopic outcomes in patients with Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: Consecutive CD patients who started biologics between 2014 and 2020 and underwent abdominal magnetic resonance or computed tomography within 6 months from the beginning of the biological therapy were enroled.

The effectiveness of ustekinumab and vedolizumab as third-line biologic therapy in patients with Crohn's disease.

Background: The effectiveness of Ustekinumab (UST) and Vedolizumab (VDZ) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) as third-line biologic therapies is unclear.

Aims: We performed a multicentre, real-world assessment of the effectiveness of UST and VDZ among highly-refractory patients with CD.

Methods: Data of consecutive patients with CD treated with UST and VDZ as third-line biologic therapy until December 2021 were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SN-IBD).

Spondyloarthropathy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: From Pathophysiology to Pharmacological Targets.

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) represents one of the most frequent extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Evidence of shared genetic and molecular pathways underlying both diseases is emerging, which has led to rational approaches when treating patients with concomitant diseases. Clinical efficacy of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists has been ascertained over the years, and they currently represent the cornerstone of treatment in patients with IBD and SpA, but the therapeutic armamentarium in these cases has been recently expanded.

Severe Activity of Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19.

Background: Data from the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic suggested that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not at higher risk of being infected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) than the general population and that a worse prognosis is not associated with immunomodulatory drugs, with the possible exception of systemic steroids.

Methods: This retrospective, observational study included consecutive IBD patients from the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (SN-IBD) cohort who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosis (polymerase chain reaction-confirmed presence of the viral genome in a nasopharyngeal swab) during the second COVID-19 pandemic wave (September 2020 to December 2020). Data regarding demographics, IBD features and treatments, and comorbidities were analyzed in correlation with COVID-19 clinical outcomes.

Incident Colorectal Cancer in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is increased in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and surveillance needs to be tailored according to individual risk. The open issues include the role of the characteristics of IBD and CRC in determining the long-term outcome. These issues were assessed in our multicenter study, including a cohort of 56 IBD patients with incident CRC.

Effectiveness and safety of an on-demand ferric carboxymaltose infusion strategy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a real world experience.

Background: We evaluated an on-demand ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) infusion strategy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients with iron deficiency anemia (IDA).

Aims: The primary outcome was the response rate to single or multiple FCM infusions after 12 months. Secondary outcomes were the response rate to a single FCM infusion after 3 months and the FCM safety profile.

Vedolizumab may be an effective option for the treatment of postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease.

Background: The role of Vedolizumab (VDZ) as therapeutic option for the postoperative recurrence of Crohn's disease (CD) following ileocolonic resection is unknown.

Aims: To assess the effectiveness of VDZ in this setting.

Methods: All consecutive CD patients with a baseline colonoscopy at 6-12 months from the ileocolonic resection showing postoperative recurrence (Rutgeerts score ≥i2) and treated with VDZ after the baseline colonoscopy were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (SN-IBD).

One-year effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab in ulcerative colitis: a multicenter real-world study from Italy.

Background: Efficacy and safety of ustekinumab for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) has been demonstrated in clinical trials, but few real-world data are available so far. The aim of this study was to assess effectiveness and safety of ustekinumab in a cohort of refractory UC patients.

Methods: Data of patients with moderate to severe UC treated with ustekinumab were retrospectively collected.

Female reproductive health and inflammatory bowel disease: A practice-based review.

Inflammatory bowel diseases, namely ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, occur worldwide and affect people of all ages, with a high impact on their quality of life. Sex differences in incidence and prevalence have been reported, and there are also gender-specific issues that physicians should recognize. For women, there are multiple, important concerns regarding issues of body image and sexuality, menstruation, contraception, fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause.

Blood-based prognostic biomarkers in Crohn's Disease patients on biologics: a promising tool to predict endoscopic outcomes.

Objective: There is a growing need for biomarkers to predict therapeutic outcome in Crohn's disease (CD).

Main Outcome Measures: The aim was to evaluate whether NLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), PLR (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio), ELR (eosinophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), and ENLR (eosinophil*neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio), could be prognostic biomarkers of endoscopic response (ER) when starting biologics.

Research Design And Methods: Patients with CD who started biologics were enrolled.

Effectiveness of Ustekinumab on Crohn's Disease Associated Spondyloarthropathy: Real-World Data from the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (SN-IBD).

Background: The effectiveness of Ustekinumab (UST) on Crohn's disease (CD)-associated spondyloarthropathy (SpA) is currently unknown.

Research Design And Methods: All consecutive CD patients with active SpA at the initiation of the treatment with UST were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (SN-IBD). The primary outcome was the articular response at 8 and 24 weeks, defined as the disappearance of objective signs of arthritis (swelling and/or articular stiffness) and resolution of pain.

Effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab in biologically naïve patients: A real-world multi-centre study.

Background: Biologically naïve patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with vedolizumab (VDZ) are largely underrepresented in real-world cohorts. A multi-centre, observational cohort study was performed on the effectiveness and safety of VDZ in biologically naïve subjects with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: Data of consecutive biologically naïve patients with CD and UC treated with VDZ from July 2016 to December 2019 were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Dual Targeted Therapy: a possible option for the management of refractory Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background And Aims: Dual Targeted Therapy (DTT) has been proposed as a novel therapeutic strategy for the management of complicated patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). Our aim was to investigate the safety and effectiveness of this approach in a real-life setting.

Methods: We retrospectively extracted data from IBD patients receiving DTT in Italian IBD referral centres.

A propensity score weighted comparison of Vedolizumab, Adalimumab, and Golimumab in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: No real-life study on the comparative effectiveness of Vedolizumab (VDZ), Adalimumab (ADA), and Golimumab (GOL) in ulcerative colitis (UC) is currently available.

Aims: To compare the effectiveness of the three biologics in consecutive patients with UC.

Methods: A three-arms propensity score-adjusted analysis was performed using the Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting method.

A propensity score weighted comparison of vedolizumab and adalimumab in Crohn's disease.

Background And Aim: There are no head-to-head randomized controlled trials between biologics in Crohn's disease (CD). We aimed to perform a multicenter, real-life comparison of the effectiveness of vedolizumab (VDZ) and adalimumab (ADA) in CD.

Methods: Data of consecutive patients with CD treated with VDZ and ADA from January 2016 to April 2019 were extracted from the cohort of the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.