Fragmented management of long-term parenteral support for adult intestinal failure in Finland

Objectives: Parenteral support (PS) is the first-line therapy for intestinal failure (IF). Optimal patient outcomes require experienced multidisciplinary teams adhering to structured protocols. As practices to provide long-term PS for adult IF patients in Finland are unknown, this cross-sectional nationwide study aimed to evaluate current management of PS for adult IF across the country.Materials and methods: An internet-based survey was emailed to all Finnish hospitals and hospital-at-home services with the potential to provide PS for adult IF. The survey included 20 items addressing the provision of long-term PS for adult IF patients (aged >= 18years). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics.Results: Overall, 52 (47%) of the 111 identified units responded. Of responding units, 38 (73%) had at some point provided long-term (>= 120days) PS for adult IF, and 23 (44%) had done so during the preceding year. Only three units currently managed >= 3 adult patients. Most (65%) of the respondents worked in a hospital and were either physicians (38%) or dietitians (39%). Only 65% of respondents reported that their unit had an assigned physician responsible for PS provision, and 28% reported that a team was responsible for long-term PS. Only 26% of respondents reported having a written protocol to guide PS management.Conclusions: Health care providers with very limited experience and a fragmented approach manage most Finnish adult IF patients. Evidence-based protocols and multidisciplinary teams are scarce. The care for adult IF patients on long-term PS needs to be improved in Finland.Peer reviewe

Longitudinal evolution of catheter-related bloodstream infections, kidney function and liver status in a nationwide adult intestinal failure cohort

Objectives The development of intestinal failure-related complications in Finnish adults is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI), and the longitudinal changes in biochemical liver and kidney tests in a nationwide cohort. Materials and methods The search for Finnish adults with intestinal failure (IF) utilized a survey to Finnish health-care providers (n = 111) with the potential to provide long-term parenteral support (PS) for adult IF. Our nationwide, cross-sectional cohort included all IF patients aged >= 18 years who had received PS for >= 120 d in 2017. Data regarding CRBSI and biochemical liver and kidney tests were collected from patient records at the start of PS up to the latest available measurement in 2017. Results In the nationwide cohort of 52 patients, the CRBSI incidence was 1.35/1000 catheter days. Seventy-three percent of CRBSI in a long-term catheter led to catheter replacement. During a median PS duration of 27.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 11.3-57.3) months, a statistically significant median change occurred in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; -8.5 ml/min/1.73 m(2), IQR -30-7, p = .005) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP; 26 U/l, IQR -11-95, p = .019). In a multiple regression model for eGFR at data collection, baseline eGFR and age were strong explanatory variables. Conclusions Incidence of CRBSI, but not treatment strategies, in this nationwide adult IF population correspond well to those reported from specialized centers. Decreased kidney function and abnormal liver test results are frequent findings, and even more so over time, emphasizing the importance of regular monitoring.Peer reviewe

Health-related quality of life and costs of switching originator infliximab to biosimilar one in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

Effectiveness, efficacy and safety of biosimilar infliximab (CT-P13) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients has been shown in previous studies. Limited data exist on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of switching originator to biosimilar infliximab (IFX) in IBD patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate impact of switching originator to biosimilar IFX on HRQoL, disease activity, and health care costs in IBD maintenance treatment. In this single-center prospective observational study, all IBD patients receiving maintenance IFX therapy were switched to biosimilar IFX. HRQoL was measured using the generic 15D health-related quality of life instrument (15D) utility measurement and the disease-specific Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ). Crohn Disease Activity Index (CDAI) or Partial Mayo Score (pMayo), and fecal calprotectin (FC) served for evaluation of disease activity. Data were collected at time of switching and 3 and 12 months after switching. Patients' characteristics, clinical background information and costs were collected from patient records and the hospital's electronic database. Fifty-four patients were included in the analysis. No statistically significant changes were observed in 15D, CDAI, pMayo, and FC during 1-year follow-up. IBDQ scores were higher (P = .018) in Crohn disease 3 months after switching than at time of switching. Costs of biosimilar IFX were one-third of costs of originator one. Total costs related to secondary health care (excluding costs of IFX), were similar before and after the onset of biosimilar IFX. HRQoL and disease activity were after switching from originator to biosimilar IFX comparable, but the costs of biosimilar IFX were only one-third of those of the originator one.Peer reviewe

The impact of an adaptation course on health-related quality of life and functional capacity of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a substantial impact on patients health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In this study, we examined the impact of adaptation courses on HRQoL, psychological well-being, depression and number of sick-leave days of IBD patients.Methods: The study recruited 142 IBD patients attending an adaptation course of 5-12 days. The courses were specially designed for IBD patients and included multidisciplinary information about IBD, peer support, group activities and encouragement for adequate physical exercise. The participants completed the study questionnaire at the beginning and the end of the course and after six and 12 months of follow-up. HRQoL was assessed with the generic 15-dimensional (15D) tool and depression with Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Utilization of health care services and work absenteeism was also assessed. Visual analog scales were used for assessing psychological functioning.Results: 15D, BDI scores and scores describing psychological well-being were significantly better at the end of the course when compared to baseline (15D 0.82 vs. 0.84, pPeer reviewe

The impact of an adaptation course on health-related quality of life and functional capacity of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a substantial impact on patients health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In this study, we examined the impact of adaptation courses on HRQoL, psychological well-being, depression and number of sick-leave days of IBD patients.Methods: The study recruited 142 IBD patients attending an adaptation course of 5-12 days. The courses were specially designed for IBD patients and included multidisciplinary information about IBD, peer support, group activities and encouragement for adequate physical exercise. The participants completed the study questionnaire at the beginning and the end of the course and after six and 12 months of follow-up. HRQoL was assessed with the generic 15-dimensional (15D) tool and depression with Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). Utilization of health care services and work absenteeism was also assessed. Visual analog scales were used for assessing psychological functioning.Results: 15D, BDI scores and scores describing psychological well-being were significantly better at the end of the course when compared to baseline (15D 0.82 vs. 0.84, pPeer reviewe

Pepsinogen A, pepsinogen C, and gastrin as markers of atrophic chronic gastritis in European dyspeptics

Serum levels of pepsinogen and gastrin are parameters that can be used as biomarkers for gastric mucosa. The aim of this study was to validate these serum biomarkers, that is pepsinogen A (PGA), pepsinogen C (PGC), PGA/PGC ratio, and gastrin, as screening tests for precancerous lesions: atrophic chronic gastritis (ACG) or Helicobacter pylori-related corpus-predominant or multifocal atrophy. The study population was comprised of a subsample of 284 patients from the 451 included in the Eurohepygast cohort, between 1995 and 1997. The concentrations of PGA, PGC, and gastrin were measured by radioimmunoassays. Histological diagnosis was the gold standard. Cut-off points were calculated using receiving operator characteristics (ROC) curves. Factors linked to variation of biomarkers were identified using multivariate linear regression. The mean of each biomarker in the sample was: PGA, 77.4 μg l−1; PGC, 13.2 μg l−1; PGA/PGC, 6.7; and gastrin, 62.4 ng l−1. For ACG patients, the areas under the PGA, PGC, PGA/PGC, and gastrin ROC curves were 0.55, 0.62, 0.73, and 0.58, respectively. The best cut-off point for PGA/PGC was 5.6, with sensitivity 65% and specificity 77.9%. For H. pylori-related corpus-predominant or multifocal atrophy, the areas under the respective ROC curves were 0.57, 0.67, 0.84, and 0.69. The best cut-off point for PGA/PGC was 4.7, with sensitivity 77.1% and specificity 87.4%. The results suggested that only the PGA/PGC ratio can be considered as a biomarker for precancerous lesions of the stomach, and may be useful as a screening test