Nomogram to predict primary non-response to infliximab in patients with Crohn's disease: a multicenter study.

Background: Infliximab (IFX) is effective at inducing and maintaining clinical remission and mucosal healing in patients with Crohn's disease (CD); however, 9%-40% of patients do not respond to primary IFX treatment. This study aimed to construct and validate nomograms to predict IFX response in CD patients.

Methods: A total of 343 patients diagnosed with CD who had received IFX induction from four tertiary centers between September 2008 and September 2019 were enrolled in this study and randomly classified into a training cohort ( = 240) and a validation cohort ( = 103).

Classifying Crohn's disease into colon-involving versus non-colon-involving groups is a better predictor of clinical outcomes than the Montreal classification.

Background: A suitable disease classification is essential for individualized therapy in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Although a potential mechanistic classification of colon-involving and non-colon-involving disease was suggested by recent genetic and microbiota studies, the clinical implication has seldom been investigated. We aimed to explore the association of this colonic-based classification with clinical outcomes in patients with CD compared with the Montreal classification.

Noncoding RNAs as Promising Diagnostic Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Intestinal Fibrosis of Crohn's Disease: The Path From Bench to Bedside.

Fibrosis is a major pathway to organ injury and failure, accounting for more than one-third of deaths worldwide. Intestinal fibrosis causes irreversible and serious clinical complications, such as strictures and obstruction, secondary to a complex pathogenesis. Under the stimulation of profibrotic soluble factors, excessive activation of mesenchymal cells causes extracellular matrix deposition via canonical transforming growth factor-β/Smads signaling or other pathways (eg, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition) in intestinal fibrogenesis.

Systematic review and meta-analysis: Association of a pre-illness Western dietary pattern with the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Previous studies have presented conflicting results on Western diets and the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aimed to evaluate the role of a pre-illness Western dietary pattern in the development of IBD.

Methods: The Western dietary pattern was defined as that met at least two of the following, either a high intake of refined grains, red and processed meat, animal protein, animal fats or high-fat dairy products, or with a low consumption of fruit and vegetables.

CYP2C19 polymorphism has no correlation with the efficacy and safety of thalidomide in the treatment of immune-related bowel disease.

Objective: To explore the relationship between hepatic cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) gene polymorphisms and the effectiveness and safety of thalidomide in the treatment of patients with immune-related bowel disease (IRBD).

Methods: CYP2C19 variants in 79 patients treated with thalidomide were analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The clinical response and adverse events of the thalidomide treatment were recorded.

Low 6-thioguanine nucleotide level: Effective in maintaining remission in Chinese patients with Crohn's disease.

Background And Aim: Measuring 6-thioguanine nucleotide (6-TGN) level is useful in optimizing dose of azathioprine (AZA) and monitoring for toxicity. Lower dose of AZA was suggested for maintenance of clinical remission in Asian patients than Caucasian patients with Crohn's disease (CD). However, the optimal 6-TGN threshold required in Asian patients is undetermined.

Different clinical outcomes in Crohn's disease patients with esophagogastroduodenal, jejunal, and proximal ileal disease involvement: is L4 truly a single phenotype?

Background: The Montreal classification defines L4 Crohn's disease (CD) as any disease location proximal to the terminal ileum, which anatomically includes L4-esophagogastroduodenal (EGD), L4-jejunal, and L4-proximal ileal involvement. L4-jejunal disease was established to be associated with poor prognosis. However, the outcome of patients with L4-proximal ileal disease or L4-EGD remains to be clarified.

Heat shock protein family A member 6 combined with clinical characteristics for the differential diagnosis of intestinal Behçet's disease.

Objective: To investigate the role of heat shock protein family A member 6 (HSPA6) expression alone and in combination with clinical characteristics in distinguishing intestinal Behçet's disease (BD) from Crohn's disease (CD) with ileocolonic involvement.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with either intestinal BD or CD were enrolled. Their clinical characteristics, disease activity, laboratory test results including hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), endoscopic, pathological and radiological features were retrospectively analyzed.

Prolonged azathioprine treatment reduces the need for surgery in early Crohn's disease.

Background And Aim: Whether an early use of azathioprine (AZA) can alter the natural history of Crohn's disease (CD) remains debated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of AZA on disease progression in a cohort of patients with early CD.

Methods: This longitudinal cohort study examined patients with early CD defined as disease duration ≤ 18 months and no previous use of disease-modifying agents according to Paris definition.

Thiopurines prevented surgical recurrence in patients with Crohn's disease after intestinal resection: Strategy based on risk stratification.

Background And Aim: Thiopurines (TPs) are effective in reducing clinical and endoscopic recurrence in postoperative patients with Crohn's disease (CD). However, whether TPs could prevent surgical recurrence (SR) remains unknown. We aimed to explore whether TPs could prevent SR and identify risk factors associated with SR.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy and safety of stem cell therapy for Crohn's disease.

Background And Aims: Stem cell therapy (SCT) for the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD) is still in its infancy, and whether SCT is associated with improved outcomes is unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of patients receiving SCT.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched for studies that reported the use of stem cells for the treatment of patients with CD.

Factors associated with the achievement of mucosal healing in Crohn's disease: the benefit of endoscopic monitoring in treating to target.

Background: Mucosal healing (MH), the proposed treat to target in Crohn's disease (CD), is associated with improved disease outcomes. There are still scant data on factors associated with achieving MH in clinical practice. We evaluated the probability of achieving MH and identified factors predictive of subsequent MH in patients with CD.

Thalidomide induces clinical remission and mucosal healing in adults with active Crohn's disease: a prospective open-label study.

Background: Thalidomide is effective in inducing and maintaining clinical remission in children and adolescents with refractory Crohn's disease (CD). However, little is known about the efficacy and safety of thalidomide for adult patients with CD.

Methods: We conducted a prospective open-label cohort study between January 2013 and April 2015.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: loss of response and requirement of anti-TNFα dose intensification in Crohn's disease.

Background: To review the frequency with which anti-TNF-α loses its effect and dose "intensification" is required for Crohn's disease (CD) treatment.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched for eligible studies. Raw data from studies meeting inclusion criteria were pooled for effect estimates.

Effects of Combination Therapy With Immunomodulators on Trough Levels and Antibodies Against Tumor Necrosis Factor Antagonists in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: It is not clear whether combination therapy with immunomodulators affects the immunogenicity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. We performed a meta-analysis to quantify the effects of combined immunomodulator therapy on the presence of antibodies against TNF antagonists (antidrug antibodies [ADAs]) and trough levels of anti-TNF agents.

Methods: We systematically searched publication databases for studies that reported prevalence of ADAs in patients who received anti-TNF agents.

Over-reaching beyond disease activity: the influence of anxiety and medical economic burden on health-related quality of life in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Purpose: Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The influence of psychological and economic factors on HRQOL has not been fully elucidated in IBD. Therefore, we aimed to identify the predictors of HRQOL in an IBD cohort.

Role of the microbiome in non-gastrointestinal cancers.

"The forgotten organ", the human microbiome, comprises a community of microorganisms that colonizes various sites of the human body. Through coevolution of bacteria, archaea and fungi with the human host over thousands of years, a complex host-microbiome relationship emerged in which many functions, including metabolism and immune responses, became codependent. This coupling becomes evident when disruption in the microbiome composition, termed dysbiosis, is mirrored by the development of pathologies in the host.

Safety Profile of Thiopurines in Crohn Disease: Analysis of 893 Patient-Years Follow-Up in a Southern China Cohort.

Thiopurines have been associated with both clinical improvement and mucosal healing in treating Crohn disease (CD). Unfortunately, the high rate of adverse events (AEs) leading to drug withdrawal represents a major limitation in the use of these drugs.To evaluate the safety of thiopurines in patients with CD.

Endoscopy Assessment at 1-Year Identifies Long-Term Responders to Thiopurines Maintenance Therapy in Patients With Crohn's Disease.

When treating Crohn disease (CD) with thiopurines, achievement of an objective response is essential. However, the minimal degree of mucosal improvement required to alter disease outcomes of CD is unknown.To determine the endoscopic responses of thiopurine monotherapy and to determine the minimal degree of mucosal improvement required to alter disease outcomes of CD.

Early Thiopurines Versus Conventional Step-Care Therapy for Modifying the Disease Course of Early Crohn's Disease: A Tertiary Referral Center Cohort Study.

The impact of thiopurines (TP) on the long-term outcome of early Crohn disease (CD) is still controversial. The present study designed as a comparison of conventional step-care to alternative treatment paradigms for disease progression.This longitudinal cohort study examined the established CD patients from a university-based inflammatory bowel disease referral center.

The -A2518G polymorphism in the MCP-1 gene and inflammatory bowel disease risk: A meta-analysis.

Objective: The monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) -A2518G gene polymorphism has been found to be involved in the susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, the results of existing studies are controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the relationship between the MCP-1 -A2518G polymorphism and the risk of IBD.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched for studies assessing the relationship between the -A2518G polymorphism in MCP-1 gene and the risk of IBD.

Apolipoprotein C3 (-455T>C) polymorphism confers susceptibility to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the Southern Han Chinese population.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between Apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3) (-455T>C) polymorphism and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the Southern Chinese Han population.

Methods: In this prospective case-control study, we recruited 300 NAFLD patients and 300 healthy controls to a cohort representing Southern Chinese Han population at The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, from January to December 2012. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing were used to genotype the APOC3 (-455T>C) variants.

Activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway triggered by PTEN downregulation in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the role of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling pathway and its negative feedback factor, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD).

Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from patients with CD and healthy controls while colon tissue samples were collected from CD patients and those complaining of constipation but with normal endoscopic results. CD4⁺ T-cells were isolated from peripheral blood.

[The prevalence and characteristics of anemia in Crohn's disease in the Chinese].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of anemia among patients with Crohn's disease (CD) in Chinese population and identify the possible risk factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 441 patients with CD enrolled from the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University between January 2003 and May 2012. The prevalence, severity, type of anemia in these patients was assessed when diagnosis was confirmed.

[Imbalance of CD4(+) T cell subgroups in ulcerative colitis].

Objective: To investigate the relationship of the imbalance of CD4(+) T cell subgroups and the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC).

Methods: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 24 UC patients and 17 healthy donors. Then the phenotype of CD4(+) T cells and the major transcription factor expression of each subset were analyzed by flow cytometry and real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) respectively.