Novel and Emerging Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn\u27s disease are chronic, relapsing and remitting disorders of intestinal inflammation with potential systemic manifestations. Despite the availability of current biologics, such as anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF), anti-integrins, anti-interleukins and small molecules such as tofacitinib, the rates of primary and secondary treatment failure remain high in IBD. This highlights the importance of continued development of new therapeutic targets and modifications of existing ones to improve the treatment response rates and to also improve the safety profile and tolerability of these medications. In this review we will discuss novel treatment target agents including selective janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, anti-interleukin (IL) (IL-12/IL-23), leukocyte trafficking/migrating inhibitors (such as sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulator) and other small molecules currently in development

Diet and Nutrition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Review of the Literature

Diet is thought to contribute to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may act as a mediator of inflammation in patients with IBD. Patients commonly associate their diet with symptoms and inquire about dietary modifications to manage their IBD. Without clinical guidelines and well-established nutritional data, healthcare providers managing patients with IBD may find it difficult to provide recommendations. Strong evidence for enteral nutrition, particularly in the pediatric population, has been established in Crohn\u27s disease (CD) as a therapeutic option. Enteral nutrition may also serve as an adjunct to an exclusion diet. Recent studies such as the randomized trial comparing the Specific Carbohydrate Diet to a Mediterranean Diet in CD patients provide additional insights in forming dietary plans. A low-fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet in quiescent IBD and an anti-inflammatory diet have also been explored as adjunctive therapies. In this review, we discuss the latest evidence for the role of diet in IBD both as a therapeutic modality and as an opportunity to provide patient-centered care

Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Associated with Disease Activity Improvement among Post-Menopausal Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

(1) Background: There are limited data available to guide clinical decision-making regarding the effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in post-menopausal women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study, we sought to characterize a population of post-menopausal women with IBD and to determine the effects of HRT on their disease activity. (2) Methods: A multicenter, retrospective, case–control cohort study of post-menopausal women with IBD was conducted. The physician global assessment (PGA) score was used to quantify disease activity. To control for the effects of menopause, IBD patients who had not undergone HRT were used as controls. (3) Results: There was a significant reduction in the frequency of PGA scores ≥2 post HRT treatment (p \u3c 0.01). HRT treatment was associated with a 5.6× increase in the odds of post-HRT PGA score improvement compared to controls (OR 5.6; 95% CL 1.6, 19.7) in our univariate logistic regression analysis. (4) Conclusion: Post-menopausal IBD women who underwent HRT therapy showed an improvement in their disease symptoms following HRT compared to post-menopausal women without HRT therapy, who showed no change

Improving Preventive Care in patients with Improving Preventive Care in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease through Use of a Standardized Checklist Tool

Study Aims Improve communication to referring PCP of the preventive care screening needs for IBD patients seen in the ambulatory setting. Implement system wide change through the use of a progressively modified EPIC based smart tool integrated directly into our provider notes. Increase adherence to guidelines for immunization, cancer screening, infectious screening, osteoporosis screening (DEXA scans), and smoking cessation counseling.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/patientsafetyposters/1107/thumbnail.jp

Ventricular septal defect and bivalvular endocarditis

A 63-year-old man presented with generalized fatigue, chills, malaise, dyspnea, intermittent fevers, and 50-pound weight loss of 4 months′ duration. Blood cultures were positive for pan-sensitive Streptococcus anginosus. Transesophageal echocardiography showed an 11 mm × 3 mm mobile mass attached to the mitral valve, a 16 mm × 16 mm mobile mass attached to the pulmonary valve, and a small membranous ventricular septal defect. The patient received 12 weeks of intravenous (IV) antibiotics with eventual resolution of the masses. Multi-valve endocarditis involving both the left and right chambers is rarely reported without prior history of IV drug use or infective endocarditis. Our case emphasizes the importance of careful assessment for ventricular septal defects or extra-cardiac shunts in individuals who present with simultaneous right and left-sided endocarditis