title: Infliximab infusion time in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: is longer really safer?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infliximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), is commonly used during flares and on a regular basis to maintain the remission of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). It is usually administered in 2-hours infusion and 2 hours of monitoring after as recommended. However, recent reports suggest that infliximab infusions over a shorter period (30 minutes to 1 hour) are well tolerated. We aimed to compare the tolerability of 1-hour and 2-hours infliximab infusions in patients with IBD in our institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from all patients treated with infliximab between 1999 and September 2010. Infliximab was administered in 1-hour infusion and 1 hour monitoring since 2009. Only the early adverse events were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adverse events during infusion were compared between one group of patients who had 1-hour infusion (989 infusions) and the other who had 2-hours infusion (2102 infusions). The incidence of adverse events was 10.6% in the 2-hours infusion group versus 6.3% in the 1-hour infusion group (P=0.36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the occurrence of infliximab infusion-related adverse events is similar across the two groups, regardless of the infusion cycle. One-hour infusion could then be proposed safely for all patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Henri-Mondor Hospital, 51, avenue du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, 94010 Créteil cedex, France.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belhassan
authors.forename: Jean-David
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Zeitoun
authors.forename: Jérémie H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lefevre
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Charachon
authors.forename: Aurélien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amiot
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Le Baleur
authors.forename: Iradj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sobhani
authors.forename: Jean-Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Delchier
mesh_terms: D000799:Angioedema / Q000139:chemically induced; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000139:chemically induced; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000139:chemically induced; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069285:Infliximab; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D063806:Myalgia / Q000139:chemically induced; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000069285:Infliximab