The use of fecal calprotectin in monitoring activity of inflammatory bowel diseases.

AIM: To compare fecal calprotectin (FC) concentration with laboratory and diagnostic methods in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The level of FC was measured in 110 patients with established IBD. Crohn diseases (CD) was diagnosed in 50 patients, ileocolitis - in 38 and terminal ileitis in 12 individuals. Ulcerative colitis (UC) was diagnosed in 60 patients, total colitis in 35, left-side colitis in 21 and 4 patients have proctitis. Laboratory data include measurement of FC, leukocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), fecal occult blood. All patients underwent colonoileoscopy (CIS) at the start of disease flare and after 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: We found linear correlation between level of FCP and endoscopic activity of CD, analyzing FCP level and endoscopic activity of CD before (during disease flare) and after 12 weeks treatment (r=0.66, p<0.001). Linear correlation between FCP and SES-CD sustained after 12 weeks of treatment (r=0.77, p<0.001). We revealed correlation between FCP concentration. And CRP level (r=0.59, p<0.05). The linear correlation was detected between FCP and endoscopic activity of UC (r=0.88, p<0.001) before the treatment. After 12 weeks of treatment linear correlation was shown between FCP and Meyo scale (r=0.73, p<0.001). IBD patients with FCP more than 200 mcg/g have high risk of disease reccurence in short-term period of time (HR - 8.33; 95% CI 2.05-33.8; χ2 - 11.85; p<0.001) and (HR - 2.7; 95% CI 1.1-6.6; χ2 - 5.3; p<0.05), accordingly. CONCLUSION: Increased FCP level indicates poor effectiveness of treatment and high risk of reccurence. The level of FCP correlates strongly with recent laboratory and diagnostic indices of activity and enables to determine patients with high risk of reccurence. Thus, thorough monitoring, including additional procedures, contributes to just-in-time treatment modification.

[Evaluation of efficacy and comparative frequency of adverse events in patients with ulcerative colitis receiving the original infliximab and its biosimilar. One year of observation].

Real - life data on the effectiveness and safety of biosimilar and biologic drugs licensed for treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is lacking. AIM: To investigate efficacy of original Infliximab (IFX) and its biosimilar in treating patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and determine the frequency of adverse events during 1 year follow - up period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our cohort consisted of 98 ulcerative colitis patients, treated with original IFX and its biosimilar since December 2017 till December 2018 years. Original Infliximab was prescribed in 56 UC patients (57.1%) during 5 years and longer; 16 patients (16.3%) were switched to IFX biosimilar; 13 UC bio - naïve patients (13.3%) received original IFX, 29 (29.6%) patients - biosimilar IFX. In 14 patients (14.3%) original infliximab was rotated with biosimilar. We picked out 42 patients to assess efficacy of original IFX and biosimilar. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Twelve patients, received original IFX and 28 patients, treated with its biosimilar, showed significant clinical improvement by decreasing Mayo index from 9.7±0.4 and 10.2±0.2 points to 1.9±0.09 and 2.1±0.1 points, accordingly. Also we noticed positive change in laboratory markers - CRP decrease from 89.6±8.7 mg/l and 77.5±8.0 mg/l to 6.5±0.8 mg/l and 6.9±0.8 mg/l (p>0.05), albumin increase from 30.1±4.7 g/l and 29.6±3.6 g/l to 34.1±6.3 g/l and 32.8±5.9 g/l (p>0.05), increase of serum iron levels from 6.4±0.5 mcg/l and 7.1±0.65 mcg/l to 14.6±4.4 mcg/l and 15.9±5.1 mcg/l (p>0.05), hemoglobin increase from 104.7±9.8 g/l and 102.2±8.8 g/l till 124±11.3 g/l and 121±10.9 g/l (p>0.05), and fecal calprotectin decrease from 1680±134 mcg/g and 1720±126 mcg/g till 245.5±33.4 mcg/g and 230.5±29.8 mcg/g (p>0.05). During 1 year follow - up 12 UC patients, treated with original IFX and its biosimilar, developed adverse events. The majority of adverse events (n=8) were registered in patients, rotating administration of original IFX and its biosimilar. CONCLUSION: IFX biosimilar is effective as well as original IFX. Frequency of adverse events, occurred in patients, treated with original IFX, was comparable with adverse events frequency in patients, received biosimilar IFX. Frequency of adverse events was significantly higher in UC patients, rotating original IFX and its biosimilar.

Clostridium difficile in inflammatory bowel disease.

AIM: To study epidemiology and risk factors for Clostridium infection (CDI) associated with Clostridium difficile in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1179 medical records were analyzed in a retrospective study of patients with IBD, of which 764 patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the presence of a preliminary diagnosis of CDI. Statistical analysis was carried out using Pearson Chi-square and two-sample t-test. RESULTS: The incidence of CDI in patients with IBD was 17.3%, with the same prevalence in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) (n=53/40.1%) and ulcerative colitis (UC) (n=79/59.9%). The mean age of occurrence of CDI in patients with IBD was 37.8±12.9, 84.8% of infections were community-acquired and only 4.5% occurred in medical institutions. Only 21.2% of all patients with CDI had a history of antibiotic use, and 24.2% had previously used steroids. Long-term immunosuppressive therapy in patients with IBD has an impact on the development of CDI: among patients with CDI 45.5% long-term received azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine, in patients without IBD - 17.7% (p<0.001). 18% of patients with CDI had control of the disease with salicylate therapy, while 62% of patients without CDI achieved remission by taking salicylates (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CDI in UC and CD is comparable (p=0.16). The study shows that patients with IBD are more sensitive to the development of CDI at a young age, while not having such traditional risk factors as recent hospitalization or antibiotic use. Patients with IBD with CDI in history often noted the ineffectiveness of therapy with salicylates, often require the assignment of biological therapy. IBD patients with CDI have a lower average albumin, and a higher activity of the inflammatory process.

Biomarkers of inflammatory bowel disease activity.

The review presents data on calprotectin, lactoferrin, leukocytes labeled with isotope indium 111In, calgranulin C and pyruvate kinase type M2 - highly sensitive biomarkers to assess the severity of intestinal inflammation. Their importance in diagnostics, determination of treatment efficiency, including as predictors of recurrence of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease is shown.