BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, relapsing and remitting inflammatory bowel disease that can be associated with significant bowel damage and disability. The Lémann Index (LI) is a validated tool for measuring cumulative bowel damage in CD patients through a comprehensive assessment of stricturing, penetrating and surgical lesions. However, prospective studies evaluating bowel damage progression in recently diagnosed CD patients remain limited. OBJECTIVES: To characterise the absolute and longitudinal variations in bowel damage progression, as measured by the LI, in a cohort of recently diagnosed CD patients, and to assess its association with relevant disease features, including disease phenotype, treatment strategies, biomarkers and disability. DESIGN: Study protocol for the Crohn's Disease Cohort Study (CROCO Study), a multicentre, European, prospective cohort study. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Patients with recently diagnosed CD (within the previous 12 months) will be enrolled and followed up for 5 years. Patients will receive standard-of-care treatment determined by the practising gastroenterologist. Morphological assessments to measure the LI and to evaluate bowel damage progression will be performed at years 1, 3 and 5 after the diagnosis. Disability will be assessed annually using the Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Disability Index (IBD-DI). The primary outcome will be the absolute LI at year 3 following diagnosis. Predictors of bowel damage progression and the association between bowel damage and disability will be analysed. DISCUSSION: The CROCO study represents a unique multicentre cohort of recently diagnosed CD patients, designed to advance the understanding of CD's natural history and evolution. It will facilitate the development of composite scores for predicting bowel damage progression and provide valuable tools for designing future disease-modification trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05420233.

• Keywords
• Crohn’s disease, Lémann index, bowel damage, disability,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

BACKGROUND: Perianal fistulas of Crohn's disease (CD) create a significant burden on patients' lives. However, the efficacy and safety of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell treatment are contradicting, and real-world evidence is lacking. AIMS: To examine the usability of darvadstrocel therapy in managing perianal CD. METHODS: We enrolled patients with CD and perianal fistulas in this retrospective multicenter study. The primary outcome was perianal clinical remission (defined as all treated fistulas closed) at weeks 26 and 52. Secondary outcomes were clinical response rates (≥ 1 fistulas closed), perianal activity (PDAI), patient satisfaction, and adverse events. Data were recorded at baseline and weeks 12, 26 and 52. Prediction of primary outcomes was performed by logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, among 223 patients (male/female ratio: 0.48), perianal clinical remission was achieved in 78.2% and 62.3% until weeks 26 and 52. Baseline PDAI score (OR 0.75), number of fistulas (OR 0.28) and the number of weeks after preparation for surgery (OR 0.98) were associated with treatment failure. The clinical response rates were 84.8% and 79.8% at weeks 26 and 52. Improvement of subjective perianal symptoms was achieved in 77.8% and 78.4% of patients, respectively. Adverse events occurred in 13.5% of patients; perianal abscesses and proctalgia were the most frequently reported. CONCLUSION: Effectiveness data were higher than in clinical trials. The safety profile was reassuring, and patients' satisfaction was high. Appropriate patient selection, fistula preparation and expertise may help to achieve treatment success.

• Keywords
• Crohn's disease, darvadstrocel, mesenchymal stem cell treatment, perianal disease,
• MeSH
• Crohn Disease * therapy   complications   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Remission Induction MeSH
• Cohort Studies MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Rectal Fistula * therapy   etiology   MeSH
• Retrospective Studies MeSH
• Patient Satisfaction MeSH
• Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation * methods   adverse effects   MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Multicenter Study MeSH

BACKGROUND: While indirect comparison of infliximab (IFX) and vedolizumab (VDZ) in adults with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) shows that IFX has better effectiveness during induction, and comparable efficacy during maintenance treatment, comparative data specific to subcutaneous (SC) IFX (i.e., CT-P13 SC) versus VDZ are limited. AIM: Pooled analysis of randomised studies to compare efficacy and safety with IFX SC and VDZ in moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: Parallel-group, randomised studies evaluating IFX SC and VDZ in patients with moderate-to-severe CD or UC were identified. Eligible studies reported ≥ 1 prespecified outcome of interest at Week 6 (reflecting treatment during the induction phase) and/or at 1 year (Weeks 50-54; reflecting treatment during the maintenance phase). Prespecified efficacy and safety outcomes considered in this pooled analysis included the proportions of patients achieving disease-specific clinical responses, clinical remission, or discontinuing due to lack of efficacy, and the proportions of patients experiencing adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, infections, serious infections, or discontinuing due to AEs. Data from multiple studies or study arms were extracted and pooled using a random-effect model; comparative analyses were performed separately for patients with CD and UC. RESULTS: We identified three eligible CD trials and four eligible UC trials that assigned over 1200 participants per disease cohort to either IFX SC or VDZ. In patients with CD, intravenous induction therapy with IFX demonstrated better efficacy (non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) compared with VDZ; during the maintenance phase, IFX SC showed numerically better efficacy (overlapping 95% CIs) than VDZ. A lower proportion of IFX SC-treated patients discontinued therapy due to lack of efficacy over 1 year. In patients with UC, efficacy profiles were similar with IFX SC and VDZ during the induction and maintenance phases, and a lower proportion of IFX SC-treated patients discontinued therapy due to lack of efficacy over 1 year. In both cohorts, safety profiles for IFX SC and VDZ were generally comparable during 1 year. CONCLUSION: IFX SC demonstrated better efficacy than VDZ in patients with CD, and similar efficacy to VDZ in patients with UC; 1-year safety was comparable with IFX SC and VDZ.

• Keywords
• Biobetter, Bioinnovative, Inflammatory bowel disease, Subcutaneous infliximab, Tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors, Vedolizumab,
• MeSH
• Crohn Disease * drug therapy   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Gastrointestinal Agents * therapeutic use   adverse effects   administration & dosage   MeSH
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized * therapeutic use   adverse effects   administration & dosage   MeSH
• Remission Induction MeSH
• Induction Chemotherapy methods   MeSH
• Infliximab * therapeutic use   administration & dosage   adverse effects   MeSH
• Injections, Subcutaneous MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic MeSH
• Colitis, Ulcerative * drug therapy   MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Gastrointestinal Agents * MeSH
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized * MeSH
• Infliximab * MeSH
• vedolizumab MeSH Browser

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic immune-mediated diseases with a high incidence and prevalence in Europe. Since these are diseases with associated disability, they require complex management and the availability of high-quality healthcare resources. We focused on the analysis of IBD care in selected countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia) targeting the availability and reimbursement of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, the role of IBD centers and also education and research in IBD. As part of the analysis, we created a questionnaire of 73 statements organized in three topics: (1) diagnostics, follow-up and screening, (2) medications and (3) IBD centers. The questionnaire was filled out by co-authoring IBD experts from individual countries, and then the answers and comments on the questionnaire were analyzed. We identified that despite the financial burden, which still partially persists in the region, the availability of some of the cost-saving tools (calprotectin test, therapeutic drug monitoring) differs among countries, mainly due to variable reimbursement from country to country. In most participating countries, there also remains a lack of dedicated dietary and psychological counseling, which is often replaced by recommendations offered by gastroenterologists. However, there is adequate availability of most of the currently recommended diagnostic methods and therapies in each participating country, as well as the implementation of established IBD centers in the region.

• Keywords
• Central Europe, Crohn’s disease, Eastern Europe, barriers, healthcare, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

BACKGROUND: The lack of scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of 5-aminosalicylate in patients with Crohn's disease is in sharp contrast to its widespread use in clinical practice. AIMS: The aim of the study was to investigate the use of 5-aminosalicylate in patients with Crohn's disease as well as the disease course of a subgroup of patients who were treated with 5-aminosalicylate as maintenance monotherapy during the first year of disease. METHODS: In a European community-based inception cohort, 488 patients with Crohn's disease were followed from the time of their diagnosis. Information on clinical data, demographics, disease activity, medical therapy and rates of surgery, cancers and deaths was collected prospectively. Patient management was left to the discretion of the treating gastroenterologists. RESULTS: Overall, 292 (60%) patients with Crohn's disease received 5-aminosalicylate period during follow-up for a median duration of 28 months (interquartile range 6-60). Of these, 78 (16%) patients received 5-aminosalicylate monotherapy during the first year following diagnosis. Patients who received monotherapy with 5-aminosalicylate experienced a mild disease course with only nine (12%) who required hospitalization, surgery, or developed stricturing or penetrating disease, and most never needed more intensive therapy. The remaining 214 patients were treated with 5-aminosalicylate as the first maintenance drug although most eventually needed to step up to other treatments including immunomodulators (75 (35%)), biological therapy (49 (23%)) or surgery (38 (18%)). CONCLUSION: In this European community-based inception cohort of unselected Crohn's disease patients, 5-aminosalicylate was commonly used. A substantial group of these patients experienced a quiescent disease course without need of additional treatment during follow-up. Therefore, despite the controversy regarding the efficacy of 5-aminosalicylate in Crohn's disease, its use seems to result in a satisfying disease course for both patients and physicians.

• Keywords
• 5-aminosalicylates, Population-based cohort, disease course,
• MeSH
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal therapeutic use   MeSH
• Biological Factors therapeutic use   MeSH
• Crohn Disease diagnosis   immunology   therapy   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Hospitalization statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Immunologic Factors therapeutic use   MeSH
• Colectomy statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Drug Therapy, Combination methods   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mesalamine therapeutic use   MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Follow-Up Studies MeSH
• Disease Progression MeSH
• Prospective Studies MeSH
• Severity of Illness Index MeSH
• Maintenance Chemotherapy methods   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Multicenter Study MeSH
• Observational Study MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal MeSH
• Biological Factors MeSH
• Immunologic Factors MeSH
• Mesalamine MeSH

BACKGROUND & AIMS: We investigated the effects of inducing deep remission in patients with early Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: We collected follow-up data from 122 patients (mean age, 31.2 ± 11.3 y) with early, moderate to severe CD (median duration, 0.2 years; interquartile range, 0.1-0.5) who participated in the Effect of Tight Control Management on CD (CALM) study, at 31 sites, representing 50% of the original CALM patient population. Fifty percent of patients (n = 61) were randomly assigned to a tight control strategy (increased therapy based on fecal level of calprotectin, serum level of C-reactive protein, and symptoms), and 50% were assigned to conventional management. We categorized patients as those who were vs were not in deep remission (CD endoscopic index of severity scores below 4, with no deep ulcerations or steroid treatment, for 8 or more weeks) at the end of the follow-up period (median, 3.02 years; range, 0.05-6.26 years). The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse outcomes that indicate CD progression during the follow-up period: new internal fistulas or abscesses, strictures, perianal fistulas or abscesses, or hospitalization or surgery for CD. Kaplan-Meier and penalized Cox regression with bootstrapping were used to compare composite rates between patients who achieved or did not achieve remission at the end of the follow-up period. RESULTS: Major adverse outcomes were reported for 34 patients (27.9%) during the follow-up period. Significantly fewer patients in deep remission at the end of the CALM study had major adverse outcomes during the follow-up period (P = .01). When we adjusted for potential confounders, deep remission (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.07-0.31) was significantly associated with a lower risk of major adverse outcome. CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of follow-up data from the CALM study, we associated induction of deep remission in early, moderate to severe CD with decreased risk of disease progression over a median time of 3 years, regardless of tight control or conventional management strategy.

• Keywords
• Adalimumab, CDEIS, IBD, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases,
• MeSH
• Adalimumab administration & dosage   adverse effects   MeSH
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents administration & dosage   adverse effects   MeSH
• Azathioprine administration & dosage   adverse effects   MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Crohn Disease diagnosis   drug therapy   immunology   pathology   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Hospitalization statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Remission Induction methods   MeSH
• Drug Therapy, Combination adverse effects   methods   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Follow-Up Studies MeSH
• Prednisone administration & dosage   adverse effects   MeSH
• Disease Progression MeSH
• Retrospective Studies MeSH
• Severity of Illness Index MeSH
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha antagonists & inhibitors   immunology   MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Multicenter Study MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Adalimumab MeSH
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents MeSH
• Azathioprine MeSH
• Prednisone MeSH
• TNF protein, human MeSH Browser
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha MeSH