Pérdida de respuesta a terapia anti-TNF en enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal: experiencia en un hospital de referencia en Lima - Perú / Loss of response to anti-TNF therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: experience in a reference hospital in Lima - Peru

RESUMEN Objetivo: Evaluar la respuesta al tratamiento con anti-TNFs en pacientes con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal. Materiales y métodos: Estudio prospectivo observacional realizado en el Servicio de Gastroenterología del Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara, de enero 2015 a agosto 2018. Resultados: Se evaluó 31 pacientes con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal que recibían terapia de mantenimiento con Infliximab. Doce (38,7%) pacientes (3 con colitis ulcerativa y 9 con enfermedad de Crohn) presentaron pérdida de respuesta a partir de los 6 meses del inicio de la fase de mantenimiento: 2 entre 6-12 meses, 4 entre 12-18 meses y 6 entre 18-24 meses. Como primera medida se duplicó la dosis (10 mg/kg) a los 12 pacientes, obteniendo respuesta en 6 (50%) luego de 12 semanas. De los 6 pacientes restantes, 4 cambiaron a Adalimumab, 1 paciente presentó cáncer de colon y 1 paciente presentó anafilaxia y sarcoidosis. De los pacientes que recibieron Adalimumab, 3 presentaron recidiva endoscópica (75%) a partir de los 6 meses y 1 no respondió a la terapia de inducción y fue sometido a colectomía (25%). Conclusiones: Aproximadamente un tercio de nuestros pacientes presentó pérdida de respuesta a terapia de mantenimiento con Infliximab. El escalamiento de dosis como rescate tuvo éxito en la mitad de los pacientes. El cambio a Adalimumab en pacientes con pérdida de respuesta a un primer fármaco anti-TNF no parece ser efectivo.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the response to treatment with anti-TNFs in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Materials and methods: Prospective observational study conducted in the Gastroenterology service of the Guillermo Almenara National Hospital, from January 2015 to August 2018. Results: 31 patients with inflammatory bowel disease who received maintenance therapy with Infliximab were evaluated. Twelve (38.7%) patients (3 with ulcerative colitis and 9 with Crohn's disease) presented loss of response after 6 months of the beginning of the maintenance phase: 2 between 6-12 months, 4 between 12-18 months and 6 between 1824 months. As a first step, the dose was doubled (10 mg/kg) to the 12 patients, obtaining a response in 6 (50%) after 12 weeks. Of the remaining 6 patients, 4 switched to Adalimumab, 1 patient presented colon cancer and 1 patient presented anaphylaxis and sarcoidosis. Of the patients who received Adalimumab, 3 had endoscopic recurrence (75%) after 6 months and 1 did not respond to induction therapy and was subjected to colectomy (25%). Conclusions: Approximately one third of our patients presented loss of response to maintenance therapy with Infliximab. The dose escalation as a rescue therapy was successful in half of the patients. The change to Adalimumab in patients with loss of response to a first anti-TNF drug does not seem to be effective.

Oral Maintenance Chemotherapy with 6-Mercaptopurine and Methotrexate in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Ineligible for Transplantation

For decades, maintenance chemotherapy has failed to improve the cure rate or prolong the survival of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), other than those with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Immediately after the first complete remission following consolidation therapy was obtained, oral maintenance chemotherapy (daily 6-mercaptopurine and weekly methotrexate) was given and continued for two years in transplant-ineligible AML patients. Leukemia-free survival (LFS) and overall survival (OS) were studied and compared between these patients and the historical control group who did not receive maintenance therapy. Consecutive 52 transplant-ineligible AML patients were analyzed. Among these patients, 27 received oral maintenance chemotherapy. No significant difference was found in the patients' characteristics between the maintenance and the control groups. The median OS was 43 (95% CI, 19-67) and 19 (95% CI, 8-30) months in the maintenance and the control groups, respectively (P = 0.202). In the multivariate analysis, the presence of maintenance therapy was an independent prognostic factor for better OS (P = 0.021) and LFS (P = 0.024). Clinical benefit from maintenance chemotherapy was remarkable in older patients (> or = 60 yr) (P = 0.035), those with intermediate or unfavorable cytogenetics (P = 0.006), those with initial low blast count in peripheral blood (P = 0.044), and those receiving less than two cycles of consolidation therapy (P = 0.017). Maintenance oral chemotherapy as a post-remission therapy can prolong the survival of patients with AML who are not eligible for transplantation, particularly older patients, those with intermediate or unfavorable cytogenetics, those with initial low blast count, and those receiving less than two cycles of consolidation therapy.