title: Long-term effects and colectomy rates in ulcerative colitis patients treated with infliximab: a Danish single center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infliximab (IFX) is a well-established treatment for both acute, severe ulcerative colitis (UC) and chronic, refractory UC. However, data on the long-term clinical outcome and colectomy rates after IFX treatment in a routine clinical setting are sparse. The aim of this study was to provide further data on the long-term effect of IFX for acute, severe and chronic, refractory UC in unselected patients treated at a single center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of all patients (n = 52) treated with IFX for UC before February 2009 was performed. The material comprised 19 patients (37%) with acute, severe UC and 33 patients (63%) with chronic, refractory UC. The primary outcome was colectomy rate; the secondary outcome clinical response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall colectomy rate was 27% (14/52 patients) after a median follow-up of 22 months (range 4-57 months). The colectomy rate was 37% (7/19 patients) in the group with acute, severe UC and 21% (7/33 patients) among those with chronic, refractory UC. In all, 77% of the patients had clinical response to IFX treatment with no difference between the two subgroups. Among those with an initial clinical response, 50% (20/40 patients) had sustained clinical response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IFX is of long-term benefit as rescue treatment in selected patients with acute, severe UC with about two-thirds of the patients avoiding colectomy. The beneficial effect on colectomy rate in chronic, refractory UC seems less convincing although these patients may still achieve a sustained clinical response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Medical Section, Herlev Hospital, Denmark. ane@teisner.com
authors.forename: Ane Søgaard
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Teisner
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ainsworth
authors.forename: Jørn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brynskov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003082:Colectomy; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000069285:Infliximab