Long-term response rates to infliximab therapy for Crohn's disease in an outpatient cohort.
BACKGROUND
Infliximab's efficacy in the induction and maintenance of remission in luminal Crohn's disease has been confirmed by randomized, controlled trials. Less clearly described are long-term outcomes in the clinical practice setting since the establishment of regularly scheduled, every eight-week maintenance infliximab infusions. Existing reports describing clinical practice outcomes are limited by short durations of follow-up or by the use of episodic dosing, or focus on safety data rather than clinical outcomes.


OBJECTIVE
To examine induction and maintenance responses to infliximab in an outpatient inflammatory bowel disease clinic.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review was performed. Clinical outcomes were infliximab induction and maintenance responses, defined as the ability to stop and remain off corticosteroids while not requiring additional therapy for active disease.


RESULTS
One hundred thirty-three patients were identified with records sufficiently detailed to be analyzed. Of these, 117 patients (88%) demonstrated a clinical response to induction; 104 of 117 (89%) were on concomitant immunosuppressive therapy; 80 of 104 on azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine (77%); and 24 of 104 on methotrexate (23%). The mean duration of clinical response was 94 weeks (95% CI 78.8 to 109.2). The proportion of patients who maintained response at 30 weeks was 83.2%, at 54 weeks was 63.6% and at 108 weeks was 44.9%. Adverse events occurred for 15 of 117 patients (12.8%), consisting of nine infusion reactions, four serum sickness-like reactions, one rash and one infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients treated with infliximab therapy for luminal Crohn's disease in our outpatient clinic achieved excellent induction and maintenance of response rates, confirming the real-life efficacy of maintenance infliximab established in clinical trials.
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Christopher W
CW
Teshima
Adrienne
A
Thompson
LeRose
L
Dhanoa
Levinus A
LA
Dieleman
Richard N
RN
Fedorak
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003113:Colonoscopy; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069285:Infliximab