Disease Recurrence and Long-term Outcomes Following the Development of Intestinal Failure in Crohn's Disease: Over 20 Years of Experience from a National Reference Centre.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Intestinal failure [IF] is a recognised complication of Crohn's disease [CD]. The aim of this study was to identify factors predicting the development and recurrence of CD in patients with IF [CD-IF], and their long-term outcomes. METHODS: This was a cohort study of adults with CD-IF admitted to a national UK IF reference centre between 2000 and 2021. Patients were followed from discharge with home parenteral nutrition [HPN] until death or February 28, 2021. RESULTS: In all, 124 patients were included; 47 [37.9%] changed disease location and 55 [44.4%] changed disease behaviour between CD and CD-IF diagnosis, with increased upper gastrointestinal involvement [4.0% vs 22.6% patients], p <0.001. Following IF diagnosis, 29/124 [23.4%] patients commenced CD prophylactic medical therapy; 18 [62.1%] had a history of stricturing or penetrating small bowel disease; and nine [31.0%] had ileocolonic phenotype brought back into continuity. The cumulative incidence of disease recurrence was 2.4% at 1 year, 16.3% at 5 years and 27.2% at 10 years; colon-in-continuity and prophylactic treatment were associated with an increased likelihood of disease recurrence. Catheter-related bloodstream infection [CRBSI] rate was 0.32 episodes/1000 catheter days, with no association between medical therapy and CRBSI rate. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest series reporting disease behaviour and long-term outcomes in CD-IF and the first describing prophylactic therapy use. The incidence of disease recurrence was low. Immunosuppressive therapy appears to be safe in HPN-dependent patients with no increased risk of CRBSI. The management of CD-IF needs to be tailored to the patient's surgical disease history alongside disease phenotype.

Dietary beliefs and recommendations in inflammatory bowel disease: a national survey of healthcare professionals in the UK.

BACKGROUND: The role of diet in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains incompletely understood. Knowledge around the actual dietary advice healthcare professionals provide to individuals with IBD is scarce. Our objective was to describe the dietary beliefs of healthcare professionals and dietary recommendations made to people with IBD. METHODOLOGY: An online survey regarding IBD-related dietary beliefs and advice provided to patients was distributed to gastroenterologists, dietitians and IBD nurses in the UK. RESULTS: Two-hundred and twenty-three eligible healthcare professionals participated: 107 (48%) believed that diet was involved in IBD development. The most frequently implicated dietary components were processed foods (78%), additives/preservatives (71%), sweet/sugary foods (36%), red meat (36%) and fatty foods (31%). Views were broadly consistent across professions, however, gastroenterologists were significantly more likely to believe red meat and additives/preservatives initiated IBD. One hundred and thirteen participants (53%) believed that diet could trigger disease relapse and 128 (61%) recommended limiting specific foodstuffs to reduce this risk, most commonly high fibre foods. Forty-six (23%) considered recommending a low Fermentable Oligo-, Di- and Monosaccharides and Polyols diet to reduce relapse risk. IBD nurses and healthcare professionals with <5 years experience were most likely to recommend this. Dietitians felt most comfortable providing dietary advice for functional gastrointestinal symptoms in quiescent IBD. CONCLUSION: Dietary advice in IBD is inconsistent reflecting uncertainty among healthcare professionals. While some consensus exists regarding dietary components implicated in IBD development and relapse, dietary recommendations varied. Future research is required to disentangle these complex relationships, alongside better training and education.

Catheter-related infection rates in patients receiving customized home parenteral nutrition compared with multichamber bags.

BACKGROUND: The risk of bloodstream infections may be increased in hospitalized patients receiving ready-made parenteral nutrition (PN) multichamber bags (MCBs) compared with customized PN; however, as highlighted in recent international guidelines, there are no comparable data relating to home PN (HPN). METHODS: Data from a prospectively maintained database were analyzed to compare incidence rates of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) between patients receiving customized HPN compared with MCB HPN at a national UK referral center between May 2018 and August 2020. RESULTS: Sixty patients with chronic intestinal failure were commenced on MCBs and 45 received customized HPN for a total of 5914 and 7641 catheter days, respectively. No difference in CRBSI incidence was found (0.51/1000 catheter days for MCBs, 0.39/1000 catheter days for customized HPN; incidence rate ratio, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.26-6.37). Eighteen patients were switched from customized HPN to MCB HPN. The study period covered 7401 catheter days receiving customized HPN and 4834 days on MCBs. No significant change was noted in the CRBSI rates following this switch (0.27/1000 catheter days receiving customized HPN vs 0.21/1000 catheter days on MCBs; incidence rate ratio, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.12-14.3). CONCLUSION: The use of MCBs for HPN patients is not associated with an increased risk of CRBSI. This study will inform international guidelines and provide reassurance for the continued, safe use of MCB HPN.

The dietary practices and beliefs of British South Asian people living with inflammatory bowel disease: a multicenter study from the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Epidemiological associations have implicated factors associated with Westernization, including the Western diet, in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The role of diet in IBD etiopathogenesis, disease control and symptom management remains incompletely understood. Few studies have collected data on the dietary habits of immigrant populations living with IBD. Our aim was to describe the dietary practices and beliefs of British South Asians with IBD. METHODS: A 30-item questionnaire was developed and consecutively administered to 255 British South Asians with IBD attending gastroenterology clinics in the United Kingdom. RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of participants believed diet was the initiating factor for their IBD and 63% felt diet had previously triggered disease relapse. Eighty-nine percent avoided certain dietary items in the belief that this would prevent relapse. The most commonly avoided foods and drinks were spicy and fatty foods, carbonated drinks, milk products, alcohol, coffee, and red meat. A third of patients had tried a whole food exclusion diet, most commonly lactose- or gluten-free, and this was most frequently reported amongst those with clinically active IBD (P= 0.02). Almost 60% of participants avoided eating the same menu as their family, or eating out, at least sometimes, to prevent IBD relapse. CONCLUSIONS: British South Asians with IBD demonstrate significant dietary beliefs and food avoidance behaviors with increased frequency compared to those reported in Caucasian IBD populations. Studies in immigrant populations may offer valuable insights into the interaction between diet, Westernization and cultural drift in IBD pathogenesis and symptomatology.

The dietary practices and beliefs of people living with older-onset inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The role of diet in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains incompletely understood. Studies have previously examined dietary practices in IBD, but none have specifically focused on older-onset disease. IBD may put vulnerable groups at risk of nutritional deficiency and associated complications, potentially heightened by comorbidities, frailty and polypharmacy. Our objective was to describe dietary practices and beliefs in older-onset IBD. METHODS: A questionnaire exploring dietary practices and beliefs was prospectively administered to 137 people with older-onset IBD attending gastroenterology clinics. RESULTS: Thirty-two percent believed diet was the initiating factor for their IBD. This was significantly more likely in people with Crohn's disease than ulcerative colitis (P = 0.05) and in those who felt limited in their dietary choices due to cost (P = 0.008). Forty-three percent believed diet could trigger IBD relapse and 68% avoided dietary components to avoid relapse. Most frequently avoided were spicy and fatty foods, carbonated drinks, red meat, alcohol and raw fruit and vegetables. Twenty-two percent of participants had tried a whole food exclusion diet, most frequently gluten- or lactose-free. Almost a third avoided eating out (29%) or eating the same meal as their family (32%) to prevent relapse. Respondents rarely relied upon healthcare professionals or patient support organisations for their dietary information. CONCLUSION: Individuals with older-onset IBD report dietary practices with a high degree of consistency. Dietary avoidance may impact upon both nutritional and psychosocial wellbeing in this more vulnerable group and, as such, early dietetic assessment could help improve outcomes.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: effects of implementing a nutrition support team for in-hospital parenteral nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition support teams (NST) may improve parenteral nutrition (PN) outcomes. No previous systematic review has provided conclusive data on catheter-related infection (CRI) occurrence after NST introduction, nor have previous studies performed meta-analysis or graded the evidence. AIMS: To systematically evaluate the effects of implementing an NST for hospitalised adults on PN and compare these with standard care. METHODS: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis, pre-registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020218094). On November 24, 2020, PubMed, Web of science, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Clinical Key were searched. Clinical trials and observational studies with a standard care comparator were included. Primary outcome was relative reduction in CRI rate. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate effects, and evidence was rated using Cochrane and GRADE methodologies. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies with 8166 patients were included. Across 10 studies, NST introduction reduced the CRI rate (IRR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.19-0.53) with -8 (95% CI: -12 to -5) episodes per 1000 catheter days compared with standard care. Hypophosphataemia occurred less frequently (IRD = -12%, 95% CI: -24% to -1%) and 30-day mortality decreased (IRD = -6%, 95% CI: -11% to -1%). Inappropriate PN use decreased, both judged by indication (IRD = -18%, 95% CI: -28% to -9%) and duration (IRD = -21%, 95% CI: -33% to -9%). Evidence was rated very low to moderate. CONCLUSIONS: This study documents the clinical impact of introducing an NST, with moderate-grade evidence for the reduction of CRI occurrence compared with standard care. Further, NST introduction significantly reduced metabolic complications, mortality, and inappropriate PN use.

The dietary practices and beliefs of people living with inactive ulcerative colitis.

OBJECTIVE: Diet is implicated in the aetiopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in generating symptoms. Few studies have explored dietary practices in people with IBD, in which participants perceived strong links between diet in triggering flares and maintaining remission. Fewer studies have explored dietary habits in self-reported remission. Our aim was to describe dietary practices and beliefs in those with inactive ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A questionnaire was developed and prospectively administered to 208 participants with inactive ulcerative colitis attending IBD clinics. RESULTS: Thirty-one percent believed diet was the initiating factor for ulcerative colitis with 37% believing diet could trigger relapse. Fifty-nine percent avoided dietary items to prevent relapse. Most frequently avoided were spicy (43%) and fatty (38%) foods, alcohol (27%), carbonated drinks (26%), coffee (24%) and milk products (21%). Females were more likely to practice dietary avoidance (P = 0.007). Twenty-three percent had used exclusion diets, most commonly gluten- or lactose-free. Those reporting relapse in the previous year were more likely to avoid the same menu as their family (P = 0.01) and females were less likely to eat out in order to prevent relapse (P = 0.004). Information resources guiding food avoidance included participants' own experiences (90%), healthcare professionals' advice (19%) and the internet (11%). CONCLUSION: People with inactive ulcerative colitis hold dietary beliefs and display practices with a high level of consistency around perceived triggers. Food avoidance whilst in remission raises the possibility of visceral hypersensitivity or altered physiology alongside psychosocial, neurocognitive or co-existing functional factors.

Appetite, the enteroendocrine system, gastrointestinal disease and obesity.

The enteroendocrine system is located in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and makes up the largest endocrine system in the human body. Despite that, its roles and functions remain incompletely understood. Gut regulatory peptides are the main products of enteroendocrine cells, and play an integral role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients through their effect on intestinal secretions and gut motility. Several peptides, such as cholecystokinin, polypeptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1, have traditionally been reported to suppress appetite following food intake, so-called satiety hormones. In this review, we propose that, in the healthy individual, this system to regulate appetite does not play a dominant role in normal food intake regulation, and that there is insufficient evidence to wholly link postprandial endogenous gut peptides with appetite-related behaviours. Instead, or additionally, top-down, hedonic drive and neurocognitive factors may have more of an impact on food intake. In GI disease however, supraphysiological levels of these hormones may have more of an impact on appetite regulation as well as contributing to other unpleasant abdominal symptoms, potentially as part of an innate response to injury. Further work is required to better understand the mechanisms involved in appetite control and unlock the therapeutic potential offered by the enteroendocrine system in GI disease and obesity.

Effects of the Daily Consumption of Stevia on Glucose Homeostasis, Body Weight, and Energy Intake: A Randomised Open-Label 12-Week Trial in Healthy Adults.

Stevia is a non-nutritive sweetener, providing sweet taste with no calories. This randomised, controlled, open-label 2-parallel arm trial examined the effects of daily stevia consumption on glycaemia in healthy adults. Secondary endpoints included body weight (BW) and energy intake (EI). Healthy participants (n = 28; aged 25 ± 5y, body mass index 21.2 ± 1.7 kg/m2) were randomised into either the stevia group (n = 14)-required to consume a stevia extract daily-or to the control group (n = 14). At weeks 0 and 12, the glucose and insulin responses to an oral glucose tolerance test were measured; BW and EI were assessed at weeks 0, 6, and 12. There was no significant difference in the glucose or insulin responses. There was a significant main effect of group on BW change (F(1,26) = 5.56, p = 0.026), as the stevia group maintained their weight as opposed to the control group (mean weight change at week 12: -0.22 kg, 95%CI [-0.96, 0.51] stevia group, +0.89 kg, 95%CI [0.16, 1.63] control group). The energy intake was significantly decreased between week 0 and 12 in the stevia group (p = 0.003), however no change was found in the control group (p = 0.973). Although not placebo-controlled, these results suggest that daily stevia consumption does not affect glycaemia in healthy individuals, but could aid in weight maintenance and the moderation of EI.

Vedolizumab in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: evolving paradigms.

Inflammatory bowel diseases, comprising Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic, relapsing and remitting immune-mediated inflammatory diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Vedolizumab is the first licensed drug in a group of 'gut-selective' biological agents used to treat inflammatory bowel diseases. The GEMINI registrational trials established the efficacy of vedolizumab for the induction and maintenance of remission in both CD and UC, with the most favourable results in tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-antagonist-naive patients. In recent years, a wealth of 'real-world' data has emerged supporting positive clinical, endoscopic and histological outcomes in patients treated with vedolizumab (VDZ) as well as reassuring safety data. More recently, the results of the first head-to-head trials of VDZ and TNF antagonists have been reported, as well as the results of a number of studies exploring the role of therapeutic drug monitoring with VDZ. This review brings together data reported on VDZ to date, including from the GEMINI trials, real-world data and emerging studies regarding therapeutic drug monitoring and immunogenicity. The safety profile of VDZ is also reviewed. Evolving treatment paradigms are explored, including data regarding the role of VDZ in perianal CD, post-operative complications and recurrence, extraintestinal manifestations and pregnancy.

Patients' perceptions of faecal calprotectin testing in inflammatory bowel disease: results from a prospective multicentre patient-based survey.

INTRODUCTION: Despite its success, there appears to be practical issues with Faecal Calprotectin (FC) testing in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), including sample collection, delivery and processing delays. Patients' perception and barriers to FC testing are yet to be explored in clinical practice. METHOD: A prospective patient survey was undertaken at IBD units in UK, Europe and Australia. A 9-point patient-based questionnaire was completed in clinic and included demographics, previous FC testing and FC sample difficulty rating score. Predictors of testing difficulty were derived using multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 585 patients with IBD completed the survey; 306 males with a median age of 43 years (IQR: 31-54). There were 446 patients (76%) who had prior FC testing experience. Of these, 37% (n = 165) rated FC testing difficult; 'sample collection' (n = 106; 67%) being the most common reason reported. Multivariable regression analysis identified age <49 years (odds ratio (OR): 2.5, CI:1.6-4.0), disease duration <35 months (OR 1.4, CI:0.9-2.1) and testing location (UK centre: OR 1.9, CI:1.2-3.1) as predictors of a difficult FC rating score. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 37% of patients find FC testing challenging, in particular those aged <49 years, disease duration <35 months. Further studies understanding and addressing these practical issues may aid higher FC uptake in clinic.