title: Sustained improvement in health-related quality of life measures in patients with inflammatory bowel disease receiving prolonged anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether the effects of prolonged therapy (≥1 year) with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents were sustained on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of patients with IBD who were treated with anti-TNF agents was performed. Results of the validated HRQoL measures (inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire [IBDQ], EuroQoL-5 dimensions [EQ-5D], health status visual analogue scale [VAS] and the Zung self-rating depression scale) were recorded and compared between patients treated with anti-TNF agents for <1 year and ≥1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 41 patients were finally enrolled in the study. Among them, 11 (26.8%) had received anti-TNF therapy for less than one year with a median duration of 7 months (range 3-11 months), while the other 30 (73.2%) had been treated for ≥1 year with a median duration of 42 months (range 12-104 months). Crohn's disease was the most common type in both groups. None of the mean IBDQ, EQ-5D and EQ-5D plus VAS, or Zung self-rating depression scale scores differed significantly between the two groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvements in HRQoL for IBD patients on anti-TNF therapy were sustained for longer than one year. HRQoL measures for IBD patients treated with anti-TNF therapy for <1 year do not differ significantly from those treated for ≥1 year, but a trend towards improved HRQoL measures with prolonged therapy can be obtained.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Donald N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Tsynman
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jyoti
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pietras
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Messing
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: St Hilaire
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Decross
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saubermann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
keywords: inflammatory bowel disease; inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire; quality of life; tumor necrosis factor