Abstract
Background
Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis (ASUC) is still associated with significant morbidity and risk of colectomy, almost 70 years since the landmark study of Truelove-Witts established steroid efficacy and 15 years since the Järnerot study introduced infliximab as an effective rescue therapy. It remains unclear if management of ASUC in the modern era (biologic-exposed patients and intensified infliximab regimens) leads to different outcomes.
Methods
A retrospective review of all recently hospitalized ASUC patients was performed. We aimed to compare rates of colectomy, response to steroids, and response to salvage infliximab in bio-naive and bio-exposed patients. Intensified infliximab was used as salvage therapy: 10 mg/kg infusions, aiming a trough level of at least 10 μg/ml at Week 10. We also tried to identify disease and patient related characteristics predictive of colectomy or response to medical therapy.
Results
50 patients were included (male 66%, mean age: 47.4 years) and followed up for a mean of 24.2 months. 24 patients (48%) experienced ASUC while on biologic therapy: 11 on infliximab, 6 on vedolizumab, 5 on adalimumab, 2 on golimumab. Endoscopy showed deep ulcers at 23 patients (47%). Fecal calprotectin was > 1800 ng/ml in all patients. Half the patients (25) received rescue therapy with Infliximab due to steroid refractoriness. Eleven patients (22%) underwent colectomy, 2 (4%) of which during the index hospitalization. Although colectomy rates were similar among bio-naïve and bio-exposed (20% vs 25%, p:0.675), bio-exposed patients were more refractory to steroids (0dds Ratio:3.6 ;95% CI:1.01–13.2, p:0.047). Response to rescue infliximab was similar (Odds Ratio:0.45 ;95% CI:0.13–1.5, p:0.215), even in patients failing standard dosed infliximab. High CRP levels (4.89 mg/dl vs 2.64 mg/dl, p:0.014) and low albumin levels (3.4 g/dl vs 3.9 g/dl, p:0.013) were predictive of colectomy in contrast to endoscopic severity and disease extent.
Conclusion
ASUC remains a therapeutic challenge in the modern era, with considerable refractoriness to medical therapy and colectomy risk: 50% of our group of ASUC patients responded to steroids and 22% underwent colectomy within two years of follow-up. High inflammatory burden, depicted by high CRP values and hypoalbuminemia can predict need for colectomy. Bio-exposed patients were more refractory to steroids but they showed comparable response to intensified infliximab, so they can be managed in the same way, at least until therapy with small molecules proves more efficient by future studies.
Mortality Associated With Medical Therapy Versus Elective Colectomy in Ulcerative Colitis