BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Prophylactic azathioprine (AZA) is efficacious in preventing postoperative Crohn's disease (CD) recurrence. However, it is unknown whether AZA should be started immediately after surgery. We compared the efficacy of systematic vs endoscopy-driven AZA in preventing CD recurrence at week 102. METHODS: This prospective, multicentre trial included CD patients undergoing curative resection with ileocolonic anastomosis and at higher risk of recurrence. Patients were randomized to systematic AZA initiated ≤2 weeks from surgery, or endoscopy-driven AZA in which therapy was only initiated in case of endoscopic recurrence (Rutgeerts' score ≥i2) at weeks 26 or 52 following surgery. The primary endpoint was endoscopic remission (i0-i1) at week 102. Secondary endpoints included complete endoscopic remission (i0) and clinical remission. RESULTS: The study was prematurely stopped due to slow recruitment. Between 2005 and 2011, 63 patients (28 male, median age 36 years) were randomized to systematic (n = 32) or endoscopy-driven AZA (n = 31). Twenty-one patients withdrew prematurely (8 clinical recurrence, 6 adverse reactions to AZA, 7 patient's preference). In the endoscopy-driven AZA group, 14 patients had to initiate AZA (11 at week 26, 3 at week 52). Endoscopic remission was achieved by 50% in the systematic and 42% in the endoscopy-driven AZA group (p = 0.521). No difference in secondary endpoints was found. CONCLUSIONS:Systematic AZA therapy in patients at higher risk of postoperative CD recurrence is not superior to endoscopy-driven treatment. Early postoperative endoscopic evaluation between weeks 26 and 52 seems most appropriate to guide further therapy, but larger studies are warranted. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02247258.).
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Prophylactic azathioprine (AZA) is efficacious in preventing postoperative Crohn's disease (CD) recurrence. However, it is unknown whether AZA should be started immediately after surgery. We compared the efficacy of systematic vs endoscopy-driven AZA in preventing CD recurrence at week 102. METHODS: This prospective, multicentre trial included CDpatients undergoing curative resection with ileocolonic anastomosis and at higher risk of recurrence. Patients were randomized to systematic AZA initiated ≤2 weeks from surgery, or endoscopy-driven AZA in which therapy was only initiated in case of endoscopic recurrence (Rutgeerts' score ≥i2) at weeks 26 or 52 following surgery. The primary endpoint was endoscopic remission (i0-i1) at week 102. Secondary endpoints included complete endoscopic remission (i0) and clinical remission. RESULTS: The study was prematurely stopped due to slow recruitment. Between 2005 and 2011, 63 patients (28 male, median age 36 years) were randomized to systematic (n = 32) or endoscopy-driven AZA (n = 31). Twenty-one patients withdrew prematurely (8 clinical recurrence, 6 adverse reactions to AZA, 7 patient's preference). In the endoscopy-driven AZA group, 14 patients had to initiate AZA (11 at week 26, 3 at week 52). Endoscopic remission was achieved by 50% in the systematic and 42% in the endoscopy-driven AZA group (p = 0.521). No difference in secondary endpoints was found. CONCLUSIONS: Systematic AZA therapy in patients at higher risk of postoperative CD recurrence is not superior to endoscopy-driven treatment. Early postoperative endoscopic evaluation between weeks 26 and 52 seems most appropriate to guide further therapy, but larger studies are warranted. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02247258.).
Authors: Lena W Y Thin; Sherman Picardo; Shanela Sooben; Kevin Murray; Jennifer Ryan; Marina H Wallace Journal: J Gastrointest Surg Date: 2020-05-06 Impact factor: 3.452
Authors: Zipporah Iheozor-Ejiofor; Morris Gordon; Andrew Clegg; Suzanne C Freeman; Teuta Gjuladin-Hellon; John K MacDonald; Anthony K Akobeng Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-09-12
Authors: Craig Mowat; Ian Arnott; Aiden Cahill; Malcolm Smith; Tariq Ahmad; Sreedhar Subramanian; Simon Travis; John Morris; John Hamlin; Anjan Dhar; Chuka Nwokolo; Cathryn Edwards; Tom Creed; Stuart Bloom; Mohamed Yousif; Linzi Thomas; Simon Campbell; Stephen J Lewis; Shaji Sebastian; Sandip Sen; Simon Lal; Chris Hawkey; Charles Murray; Fraser Cummings; Jason Goh; James O Lindsay; Naila Arebi; Lindsay Potts; Aileen J McKinley; John M Thomson; John A Todd; Mhairi Collie; Malcolm G Dunlop; Ashley Mowat; Daniel R Gaya; Jack Winter; Graham D Naismith; Holly Ennis; Catriona Keerie; Steff Lewis; Robin J Prescott; Nicholas A Kennedy; Jack Satsangi Journal: Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2016-08-30