Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth mimicking acute flare as a pitfall in patients with Crohn's Disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is characterized by excessive proliferation of colonic bacterial species in the small bowel. Potential causes of SIBO include fistulae, strictures or motility disturbances. Hence, patients with Crohn's Disease (CD) are especially predisposed to develop SIBO. As result, CD patients may experience malabsorption and report symptoms such as weight loss, watery diarrhea, meteorism, flatulence and abdominal pain, mimicking acute flare in these patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One-hundred-fifty patients with CD reporting increased stool frequency, meteorism and/or abdominal pain were prospectively evaluated for SIBO with the Hydrogen Glucose Breath Test (HGBT).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty-eight patients (25.3%) were diagnosed with SIBO based on positive findings at HGBT. SIBO patients reported a higher rate of abdominal complaints and exhibited increased stool frequency (5.9 vs. 3.7 bowel movements/day, p = 0.003) and lower body weight (63.6 vs 70.4 kg, p = 0.014). There was no correlation with the Crohn's Disease Activity Index. SIBO was significantly more frequent in patients with partial resection of the colon or multiple intestinal surgeries; there was also a clear trend in patients with ileocecal resection that did not reach statistical significance. SIBO rate was also higher in patients with affection of both the colon and small bowel, while inflammation of the (neo)terminal ileum again showed only tendential association with the development of SIBO.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>SIBO represents a frequently ignored yet clinically relevant complication in CD, often mimicking acute flare. Because symptoms of SIBO are often difficult to differentiate from those caused by the underlying disease, targeted work-up is recommended in patients with corresponding clinical signs and predisposing factors.</p

Prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease among coeliac disease patients in a Hungarian coeliac centre

BACKGROUND: Celiac disease, Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis are inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract with some common genetic, immunological and environmental factors involved in their pathogenesis. Several research shown that patients with celiac disease have increased risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease when compared with that of the general population. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in our celiac patient cohort over a 15-year-long study period. METHODS: To diagnose celiac disease, serological tests were used, and duodenal biopsy samples were taken to determine the degree of mucosal injury. To set up the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease, clinical parameters, imaging techniques, colonoscopy histology were applied. DEXA for measuring bone mineral density was performed on every patient. RESULTS: In our material, 8/245 (3,2 %) coeliac disease patients presented inflammatory bowel disease (four males, mean age 37, range 22-67), 6/8 Crohn's disease, and 2/8 ulcerative colitis. In 7/8 patients the diagnosis of coeliac disease was made first and inflammatory bowel disease was identified during follow-up. The average time period during the set-up of the two diagnosis was 10,7 years. Coeliac disease serology was positive in all cases. The distribution of histology results according to Marsh classification: 1/8 M1, 2/8 M2, 3/8 M3a, 2/8 M3b. The distribution according to the Montreal classification: 4/6 Crohn's disease patients are B1, 2/6 Crohn's disease patients are B2, 2/2 ulcerative colitis patients are S2. Normal bone mineral density was detected in 2/8 case, osteopenia in 4/8 and osteoporosis in 2/8 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Within our cohort of patients with coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease was significantly more common (3,2 %) than in the general population

Cost effectiveness of ibandronate for the prevention of fractures in inflammatory bowel disease-related osteoporosis: Cost-utility analysis using a Markov model.

Osteoporosis is a frequent complication in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Recent studies have shown bisphosphonates to considerably reduce fracture risk in patients with osteoporosis, and preventing fractures with bisphosphonates has been reported to be cost effective in older populations. However, no studies of the cost effectiveness of these agents in preventing fractures in patients with inflammatory bowel disease are available. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cost effectiveness of the bisphosphonate ibandronate combined with calcium/colecalciferol (&#39;ibandronate&#39;) in patients with osteopenia or osteoporosis due to inflammatory bowel disease in Germany. Treatment strategies used for comparison were sodium fluoride combined with calcium/colecalciferol (&#39;fluoride&#39;) and calcium/colecalciferol (&#39;calcium&#39;) alone. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A cost-utility analysis was conducted using data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Changes in bone mineral density (BMD) were adjusted and predicted for a standardized population receiving each respective treatment. A Markov model was developed, with probabilities of transition to fracture states consisting of BMD-dependent and -independent components. The BMD-dependent component was assessed using predicted change in BMD from the RCT. The independent component captured differences in bone quality and micro-architecture resulting from prevalent fractures or treatment with anti-resorptive drugs.The analysis was conducted for a population with a mean age of the RCT patients (women aged 36 years, men aged 38 years) with osteopenia (T-score about -2.0 at baseline), a population of the same age with osteoporosis (T-score of -3.0 at baseline) and for an older population (both sexes aged 65 years) with osteoporosis (T-score of -3.0). Outcomes were measured as costs per QALY gained from a societal perspective. The treatment duration in the RCT was 42 months. A 5-year period was assumed to follow, during which the treatment effects linearly declined to 0. The simulation time was 10 years.Prices for medication and treatment were presented as year 2004 values; costs and effects were discounted at 5%. To test the robustness of the results, univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (Monte Carlo simulation) were conducted. RESULTS: The calcium strategy dominated the fluoride strategy. When the ibandronate strategy was compared with the calcium strategy, the base-case cost-effectiveness ratios (costs per QALY gained) were between euro 407 375 for an older female population with osteoporosis and euro 6 516 345 for a younger female population with osteopenia. Univariate sensitivity analyses resulted in variations between 4% of base-case results and dominance of calcium. In Monte Carlo simulations, conducted for the various populations, the probability of an ICER of ibandronate below euro 50 000 per QALY was never greater than 20.2%. CONCLUSION: The ibandronate strategy is unlikely to be considered cost effective by decision makers in men or women with characteristics of those in the target population of the RCT, or in older populations with osteoporosis

Bones and Crohn's: Estradiol deficiency in men with Crohn's disease is not associated with reduced bone mineral density

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis are frequent in Crohn's disease (CD), but the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. Deficiency of sex steroids, especially estradiol (E2), is an established risk factor in postmenopausal osteoporosis.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To assess if hormonal deficiencies in male CD patients are frequent we investigated both, sex steroids, bone density and bone metabolism markers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>111 male CD patients underwent osteodensitometry (DXA) of the spine (L1–L4). Disease related data were recorded. Disease activity was estimated using Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI). Testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E2), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), Osteocalcin and carboxyterminal cross-linked telopeptids (ICTP) were measured in 111 patients and 99 age-matched controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patients had lower T, E2 and SHBG serum levels (p < 0.001) compared to age-matched controls. E2 deficiency was seen in 30 (27.0%) and T deficiency in 3 (2.7%) patients but only in 5 (5.1%) and 1 (1%) controls. Patients with E2 deficiency had significantly decreased T and DHT serum levels. Use of corticosteroids for 3 of 12 months was associated with lower E2 levels (p < 0.05). Patients with life-time steroids >10 g had lower BMD. 32 (28.8%) patients showed osteoporosis, 55 (49.5%) osteopenia and 24 (21.6%) had normal BMD. Patients with normal or decreased BMD showed no significant difference in their hormonal status. No correlation between markers of bone turnover and sex steroids could be found. ICTP was increased in CD patients (p < 0.001), and patients with osteoporosis had higher ICTP levels than those with normal BMD.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We found an altered hormonal status – i.e. E2 and, to a lesser extent T deficiency – in male CD patients but failed to show an association to bone density or markers of bone turnover. The role of E2 in the negative skeletal balance in males with CD, analogous to E2 deficiency in postmenopausal females, deserves further attention.</p

Granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive apheresis for the treatment of therapy-refractory chronic active ulcerative colitis

International audienceObjectives Current options for patients with steroid-dependent, chronic-active ulcerative colitis (UC) with insufficient response/intolerance to immunosuppressants (ISs) and/or biologics are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term outcome of granulocyte/monocyte adsorptive (GMA) apheresis (Adacolumn®) in this population. Materials and methods Ninety five adults with steroid-dependent active UC and insufficient response/intolerance to IS and/or TNF inhibitors received 5–8 aphereses in a single induction series of ≤10 weeks. Endpoints included rates of remission (clinical activity index [CAI] ≤ 4) at weeks 24 and 48. Results Of 94 patients (ITT population), remission and response rates were 34.0% and 44.7% at week 24, and 33.0% and 39.4% at week 48. Among 30 patients with prior failure of IS and biologics, 33.3% and 20.0% were in remission at weeks 24 and 48. At both weeks, 19.2% of patients achieved steroid-free remission. Sustained remission or response occurred in 27.7% of patients at 48 weeks. The cumulative colectomy rate at week 96 was 23.4%. Safety was consistent with previous findings. Conclusions This study confirms findings of the 12-week interim analysis and demonstrates that GMA apheresis provides a safe and beneficial long-term outcome for patients with chronic active UC resistant/intolerant to IS and/or TNF inhibitors. © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group