The use of opioids nine months after surgery for Crohn's disease - a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The risk of chronic opioid use after surgery for Crohn's disease (CD) is not known. AIM: The aim of this study is to examine the chronic opioid use after surgery according to age at time of surgery and to opioid use prior to surgery. METHODS: This nationwide cohort study included patients with a first surgery for CD (January 1, 1996 through 2021). We examined prescribed opioids 9 months after surgery and estimated adjusted odds ratios (OR) for chronic opioid use in elderly (≥60 years), adults (≥40 and <60 years), and young adults (≥18 and <40 years) according to opioid use prior to surgery. Chronic opioid use was defined as prescriptions in at least two of three consecutive quarters. RESULTS: A total of 797 patients had surgery as elderly, 1603 as adults, and 2786 as young adults. Across all age groups, 18%-38% received opioid prescriptions throughout 9 months after surgery, if opioids were prescribed prior to surgery. If opioids were not prescribed prior to surgery, the corresponding proportions were 2%-5%. If patients were prescribed opioids (≥1) prior to surgery, the adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for their chronic use after surgery in elderly, adults, and young adults were 10.37 (6.77-15.88), 10.48 (7.74-14.19), and 6.55 (4.93-8.72), respectively. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should be aware that in patients with a need for opioids before surgery, the surgery may not change the need for opioids. Future research should examine effective analgesic strategies that help minimise opioid use in this population.

One-Year Comparative Effectiveness of Upadacitinib vs Tofacitinib for Ulcerative Colitis: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: The comparative effectiveness of upadacitinib and tofacitinib for ulcerative colitis (UC) is poorly understood. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we compared steroid-free clinical remission (SFCR) and endoscopic response/remission at 52 weeks among adults initiating upadacitinib or tofacitinib for UC. RESULTS: A total of 155 patients initiated upadacitinib (n = 81; 30% prior tofacitinib exposure) or tofacitinib (n = 74; 0% prior upadacitinib exposure). After inverse probability of treatment-weighted logistic regression, upadacitinib was associated with significantly higher odds of SFCR (odds ratio 3.01, 95% confidence interval 1.39-6.55) vs tofacitinib. There were no differences for endoscopic response/remission. DISCUSSION: Upadacitinib was more effective at achieving SFCR in UC at 52 weeks vs tofacitinib.

Outcomes After Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Combination With Bezlotoxumab for Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infection.

ABSTRACT: Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) prevents recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections (rCDI) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Bezlotoxumab is also indicated to prevent rCDI. We assess the impact of FMT in combination with bezlotoxumab in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and rCDI. We conducted a multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trial. All received a single colonoscopic FMT. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive bezlotoxumab or placebo. Sixty-one patients were enrolled (30 received treatment and 31 received placebo). Overall, 5 participants (8%) experienced a CDI recurrence; 4 in the treatment arm, 1 in the placebo arm (13% vs 3%, P = 0.15). There was no clear benefit to the combination approach compared with FMT alone.

Clinical Outcomes at 8-16 Weeks After Upadacitinib Initiation for Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis: A Case Series in the United States.

In 9 patients hospitalized for acute severe ulcerative colitis, 8 were successfully discharged without the need for colectomy. Six of 7 patients with sufficient follow-up achieved steroid-free clinical remission at 8 to 16 weeks, and 1 of 2 patients achieved endoscopic response.

1-Year Comparative Effectiveness of Tofacitinib vs Ustekinumab for Patients With Ulcerative Colitis and Prior Antitumor Necrosis Factor Failure.

BACKGROUND: Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). Real-world data comparing the effectiveness of tofacitinib to ustekinumab are limited. We compared 52-week outcomes of tofacitinib vs ustekinumab for UC after antitumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) failure. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, adults initiated tofacitinib or ustekinumab for UC after anti-TNF failure May 1, 2018 to April 1, 2021, at a US academic medical center. The primary outcome was steroid-free clinical remission (SFCR) at 12 and 52 weeks. The secondary outcome was drug survival (ie, time to drug discontinuation due to nonresponse). Adverse events (AEs) were also assessed. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients initiated tofacitinib, and 97 patients initiated ustekinumab with median follow-up of 88.0 and 62.0 weeks, respectively. After inverse probability of treatment-weighted logistic and Cox regression, there was no association of tofacitinib vs ustekinumab with SFCR at 12 weeks (odds ratio, 1.65; 95% CI, 0.79-3.41), SFCR at 52 weeks (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.55-2.34), or drug survival (hazard ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.78-2.37). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated no separation in drug survival curves. Regression results were similar after excluding patients with prior tofacitinib or ustekinumab exposure. During available follow-up, 17 AEs were reported for tofacitinib (most commonly shingles, n = 4), and 10 AEs were reported for ustekinumab (most commonly arthralgia and rash, each n = 2). Two patients discontinued treatment due to AEs (1 tofacitinib for elevated liver enzymes, 1 ustekinumab for arthralgia). CONCLUSIONS: In a real-world UC cohort, tofacitinib and ustekinumab demonstrated similar effectiveness at 52 weeks. Adverse events were consistent with the known safety profiles of these agents.

In this real-world cohort of anti-TNF-exposed patients with ulcerative colitis, tofacitinib and ustekinumab demonstrated similar effectiveness in achieving steroid-free clinical remission at 12 and 52 weeks. Adverse events were consistent with the known safety profiles of these agents.

Older Adult-Onset of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Is Associated With Higher Utilization of Analgesics: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) commonly require analgesic medications to treat pain, which may be associated with complications. We examined trends of analgesic use according to age at IBD onset. METHODS: This nationwide cohort study included adults diagnosed with IBD between 1996 and 2021 in Denmark. Patients were stratified according to their age at IBD onset: 18-39 years (young adult), 40-59 years (adult), and older than 60 years (older adult). We examined the proportion of patients who received prescriptions for analgesic medications within 1 year after IBD diagnosis: strong opioids, tramadol, codeine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and paracetamol. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between age at IBD onset and strong opioid prescriptions and the composite of strong opioid/tramadol/codeine prescriptions. RESULTS: We identified 54,216 adults with IBD. Among them, 25,184 (46.5%) were young adults, 16,106 (29.7%) were adults, and 12,926 (23.8%) were older adults at IBD onset. Older adults most commonly received analgesic prescriptions of every class. Between 1996 and 2021, strong opioid, tramadol, and codeine prescriptions were stable, while paracetamol prescriptions increased and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescriptions decreased. After multivariable logistic regression analysis, older adults had higher adjusted odds of receiving strong opioid prescriptions (adjusted odds ratio 1.95, 95% confidence interval 1.77-2.15) and the composite of strong opioid/tramadol/codeine prescriptions (adjusted odds ratio 1.93, 95% confidence interval 1.81-2.06) within 1 year after IBD diagnosis compared with adults. DISCUSSION: In this nationwide cohort, older adults most commonly received analgesic prescriptions within 1 year after IBD diagnosis. Additional research is needed to examine the etiology and sequelae of increased analgesic prescribing to this demographic.

Clinical and Endoscopic Outcomes Through 78 Weeks of Tofacitinib Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis in a US Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Tofacitinib is an oral JAK inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). We assessed outcomes through 78 weeks of tofacitinib therapy for UC in a real-world setting. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included adults initiating tofacitinib for UC from May 1, 2018, to April 1, 2021, at a large academic center in the United States. The primary outcome was steroid-free clinical remission at 78 (+/-4) weeks (SFCR 78; simple clinical colitis activity index ≤2 with no corticosteroid use within 30 days). The secondary outcome was tofacitinib discontinuation due to nonresponse (treatment persistence). Additional outcomes were endoscopic response/remission and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: Seventy-three patients initiated tofacitinib, with a median follow-up of 88 weeks. Among patients with available data, 31 of 60 (51.7%) achieved SFCR 78, 21 of 47 (44.7%) achieved endoscopic remission during follow-up, and 25 of 73 (34.2%) discontinued tofacitinib during follow-up due to nonresponse (including 11 patients who required colectomy). Nineteen AEs were reported among 15 patients during follow-up: shingles (n = 4, all without documented vaccinations), deep venous thrombosis (n = 2), elevated liver enzymes (n = 2), skin abscess (n = 2), pneumonia (n = 2), possible miscarriage (n = 2), norovirus (n = 1), COVID-19 (n = 1), lymphopenia (n = 1), Clostridioides difficile infection (n = 1), and heart block (n = 1). One patient discontinued therapy due to an AE (elevated liver enzymes), and no deaths occurred. CONCLUSION: Tofacitinib treatment was effective in achieving SFCR for the majority of patients with UC through 78 weeks. Adverse events were consistent with the known safety profile of tofacitinib, and AEs requiring discontinuation were rare. Due to limitations regarding sample size, larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Tofacitinib treatment was effective in achieving steroid-free clinical remission for the majority of patients with UC through 78 weeks. Adverse events, which rarely required treatment discontinuation, were consistent with the known safety profile of tofacitinib.

Activity of axial spondyloarthritis after one year of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.

The disease activity of axSpA after initiating anti-TNF agents for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is poorly understood. We sought to examine the disease activity of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) after initiation of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents among patients with IBD. This retrospective cohort study included adults with IBD and axSpA who initiated anti-TNF agents between 1/1/2012-10/1/2021 at a large academic center. The primary outcome was symptom resolution (SR) of axSpA at 12 months ("0/10 pain" or "no pain" or "controlled pain" with no morning stiffness and no use of daily NSAIDs). The secondary outcome was clinical remission (CR) of IBD at 12 months (simple clinical colitis activity index <3, Harvey-Bradshaw Index <5, or provider assessment with no use of oral/IV steroids for 30 days). Associations between baseline characteristics and SR of axSpA were examined using logistic regression. 82 patients with axSpA and IBD initiated anti-TNF agents. At 12 months, 52% and 74% achieved SR of axSpA and CR of IBD, respectively. IBD duration <5 years (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2-7.5) and adalimumab use (reference: all other anti-TNFs; OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.002-7.1) were associated with SR of axSpA at 12 months. 52% of patients with axSpA and IBD achieved SR of axSpA at 12 months after initiating anti-TNF therapy. Shorter disease duration and adalimumab use may be associated with higher odds of SR. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings, examine additional clinical predictors of SR, and identify more effective therapeutics for this population.

Use of Tramadol vs Traditional Opioids and Adverse Outcomes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Use of traditional opioids (TOs) for pain management has been associated with adverse outcomes among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). It is unknown if similar associations exist for tramadol, a partial opioid agonist and serotonin and norephinephrine reuptake inhibitor. We sought to compare adverse outcomes associated with tramadol vs TOs in an IBD population. METHODS: This nationwide cohort study included adults with IBD diagnosed from 1995 to 2021 in Denmark with subsequent prescriptions for tramadol or TOs. For each analgesic, 2 populations were assessed: initial users (first prescription) and persistent users (first 3 consecutive prescriptions within 365 days). Outcomes included infection, bowel obstruction/ileus, IBD surgery, and mortality within 90 days after the initial use index date (date of first prescription) and within 365 days after the persistent use index date (date of third prescription). Odds ratios adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, and IBD severity were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: We identified 37 377 initial users and 15 237 persistent users of tramadol or TOs. Initial users of tramadol had lower adjusted odds of infection (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-0.99), bowel obstruction/ileus (aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.53-1.03), and mortality (aOR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.35-0.55), and a higher adjusted odds of IBD-related surgery (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.02-1.60) vs initial users of TOs. Similar results were found for persistent users. CONCLUSIONS: Tramadol was associated with lower odds of infection, bowel obstruction/ileus, and mortality vs TOs among patients with IBD. These associations may be impacted by residual confounding.

Comparative Long-Term Drug Survival of Vedolizumab, Adalimumab, and Infliximab in Biologic-Naïve Patients with Ulcerative Colitis.

BACKGROUND: The comparative long-term survival of first-line biologics for UC and reasons for drug discontinuation are poorly understood. We sought to compare the long-term drug survival related to non-response (NR) and adverse effects (AEs) for vedolizumab, adalimumab, and infliximab among biologic-naïve patients with UC. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult biologic-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe UC initiating vedolizumab, adalimumab, or infliximab 6/1/14-12/31/20 at a large academic medical center. The primary outcome was time to biologic discontinuation for primary or secondary NR (including colectomy). The secondary outcome was time to biologic discontinuation due to AEs. Inverse probability of treatment-weighted (IPTW) Cox regression was used to perform three pair-wise comparisons of drug survival. RESULTS: The cohort included 805 patients with UC who initiated vedolizumab (n = 195), adalimumab (n = 278), or infliximab (n = 332). The adjusted hazard of biologic discontinuation for NR was significantly lower for vedolizumab vs adalimumab (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.34-0.75), similar for vedolizumab vs infliximab (HR 1.32, 95% CI 0.79-2.18), and greater for adalimumab vs infliximab (HR 2.07, 95% CI 1.51-2.86). The adjusted hazard of discontinuation for AEs was significantly lower for vedolizumab vs adalimumab (HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.64), lower for vedolizumab vs infliximab (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.10-0.46), and similar for adalimumab vs infliximab (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.53-1.35). CONCLUSIONS: There was greater survival of vedolizumab compared to adalimumab for clinical response and greater survival of vedolizumab compared to both adalimumab and infliximab for AEs. These long-term data support the use of vedolizumab as a first-line biologic over adalimumab for biologic-naïve patients with UC.

Risk of Gastrointestinal Infections After Initiating Vedolizumab and Anti-TNFα Agents for Ulcerative Colitis.

GOALS: Characterize and compare the risk of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and cytomegalovirus colitis (CMVC) after initiation of vedolizumab or anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α agents for ulcerative colitis (UC). BACKGROUND: Immunosuppression is a risk factor for gastrointestinal infections including CDI and CMVC among patients with UC; however, the risk according to the biological class is poorly understood. STUDY: A retrospective cohort study of adults with UC involving the initiation of vedolizumab or anti-TNFα agents during June 1, 2014 to December 31, 2020 was conducted at a large academic health system. The primary outcomes for both CDI and CMVC analyses were first CDI or CMVC after biological initiation. The secondary outcome for the CDI analysis was severe CDI (>10,000 white blood cells or serum creatinine >1.5 mg/dL). Independent variables included demographics and UC history/severity factors. Inverse probability of treatment weighted Cox regression was performed to assess the hazard of CDI by biological group. Due to few outcomes, CMVC was reported descriptively. RESULTS: A total of 805 UC patients initiated vedolizumab (n=195) or anti-TNFα agents (n=610). There were 43 CDIs and 11 severe CDIs over 1436 patient-years. The inverse probability of treatment weighted Cox regression demonstrated no association between CDI and vedolizumab versus anti-TNFα (hazard ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.05-2.03), but identified a significantly lower hazard of severe CDI for vedolizumab versus anti-TNFα (hazard ratio 0.10, 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.76). There were 5 cases of CMVC, all in the anti-TNFα group. CONCLUSIONS: There was a lower adjusted risk of severe CDI but not total CDI associated with vedolizumab. CMVC was not observed after initiating vedolizumab. These findings may provide reassurance regarding the use of vedolizumab when also considering the risk of gastrointestinal infections.

Long-Term Outcomes After Ustekinumab Dose Intensification for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

In this retrospective cohort study, we demonstrated that dose intensification of ustekinumab to every 4 or every 6 weeks was effective in both achieving and maintaining clinical remission for >40% of inflammatory bowel disease patients for up to 24 months.

Tofacitinib for the Treatment of Pouch-Related Disorders: A Case Series.

In this case series, 6 patients with chronic pouchitis (n = 3), cuffitis (n = 2), or Crohn's-like disease of the pouch (n = 1) were treated with tofacitinib. One patient achieved clinical response; however, all patients ultimately discontinued therapy due to nonresponse or adverse events.

Predictors and Outcomes of Ustekinumab Dose Intensification in Ulcerative Colitis: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Ustekinumab has been shown to be effective for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC); however, >40% of patients have suboptimal clinical response after induction and maintenance dosing every 8 weeks.1,2 The best management approach for these patients is unclear. Many undergo empiric dose intensification to every 4 weeks or every 6 weeks, a nonstandardized decision because of limited data supporting therapeutic drug monitoring of ustekinumab.3 In Crohn's disease, approximately 50% of patients undergo ustekinumab dose intensification, which seems to be effective based on prior work from our group and others.4-8 However, similar data in UC are lacking. In this real-world multicenter cohort study, we sought to identify predictors and outcomes of ustekinumab dose intensification in UC.