BACKGROUND:Infliximab is an effective therapy in adult patients with refractory and fistulizing Crohn's disease. Experience in children is still limited. AIM: : To evaluate the experience in 22 children and adolescents treated withinfliximab with refractory and/or fistulizing Crohn's disease, and to compare duration of response in children between early Crohn's disease and late Crohn's disease. METHODS: The experience in 22 children and adolescents treated with a total of 73 infusions was evaluated retrospectively. Treatment indication was refractory Crohn's disease in 9/22 patients, fistulizing Crohn's disease in 7/22 patients and both these conditions in 6/22. All patients with refractory Crohn's disease had late Crohn's disease (> 1 year), whereas 6/13 patients with fistulas had early disease (< 1 year). RESULTS:Mean Paediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) decreased from 41.2 to 16.2 at 4 weeks (P < 0.01), and to 15.4 at 18 weeks (P < 0.01). Mean PCDAI at 18 weeks in children with early Crohn's disease and late Crohn's disease was 5.5 and 18.1, respectively (P < 0.05). Complete closure of fistulas was obtained in 5/6 children with early Crohn's disease and in 2/7 children with late Crohn's disease. Immediate adverse reactions were observed in two children. CONCLUSIONS:Infliximab is a highly effective treatment in children and adolescents with both severe refractory or fistulizing Crohn's disease. Children with early Crohn's disease have a higher chance of prolonged response to infliximab than children with late Crohn's disease.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:Infliximab is an effective therapy in adult patients with refractory and fistulizing Crohn's disease. Experience in children is still limited. AIM: : To evaluate the experience in 22 children and adolescents treated with infliximab with refractory and/or fistulizing Crohn's disease, and to compare duration of response in children between early Crohn's disease and late Crohn's disease. METHODS: The experience in 22 children and adolescents treated with a total of 73 infusions was evaluated retrospectively. Treatment indication was refractory Crohn's disease in 9/22 patients, fistulizing Crohn's disease in 7/22 patients and both these conditions in 6/22. All patients with refractory Crohn's disease had late Crohn's disease (> 1 year), whereas 6/13 patients with fistulas had early disease (< 1 year). RESULTS: Mean Paediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) decreased from 41.2 to 16.2 at 4 weeks (P < 0.01), and to 15.4 at 18 weeks (P < 0.01). Mean PCDAI at 18 weeks in children with early Crohn's disease and late Crohn's disease was 5.5 and 18.1, respectively (P < 0.05). Complete closure of fistulas was obtained in 5/6 children with early Crohn's disease and in 2/7 children with late Crohn's disease. Immediate adverse reactions were observed in two children. CONCLUSIONS:Infliximab is a highly effective treatment in children and adolescents with both severe refractory or fistulizing Crohn's disease. Children with early Crohn's disease have a higher chance of prolonged response to infliximab than children with late Crohn's disease.
Authors: R Caprilli; M A Gassull; J C Escher; G Moser; P Munkholm; A Forbes; D W Hommes; H Lochs; E Angelucci; A Cocco; B Vucelic; H Hildebrand; S Kolacek; L Riis; M Lukas; R de Franchis; M Hamilton; G Jantschek; P Michetti; C O'Morain; M M Anwar; J L Freitas; I A Mouzas; F Baert; R Mitchell; C J Hawkey Journal: Gut Date: 2006-03 Impact factor: 23.059