title: Assessment of induction therapy with infliximab in children with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis: a multi-center study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assessment of clinical and endoscopic efficacy of induction therapy with infliximab in children with ulcerative colitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective analysis of medical records of pediatric patients with moderate to severe UC who had received at least one infusion of infliximab in Polish pediatric academic clinical centers from 2003 to 2013. The primary endpoint was clinical remission rate at week 10, (PUCAI score <10 points) while the secondary endpoints were: clinical response rate (>19-points decrease in PUCAI), mucosal response rate (defined as an improvement of the Baron score), and mucosal healing rate (Baron score 0 or 1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  44 patients, at mean age of 14±3.9 years, were included into the study. 38 (86%) patients completed induction therapy regimen with infliximab and were finally included into the analysis. Clinical response and remission rates at week 10 there were 36% and 25% respectively. There was significant drop of PUCAI (58.31±15.5 vs. 24.23±23.83) and Baron score (2.63±0.49 vs. 1.44±0.99) at this time point. Mucosal response and mucosal healing rate were 57% and 48% respectively. Infliximab failure defined as non-clinical and non-mucosal response at week 10, occurred in 16 patients. Infliximab-associated adverse events occurred in 3 patients, with all severe hypersensitivity reactions to infliximab.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infliximab induction therapy was safe and effective in Polish moderate to severe UC pediatric patients with 50% rate of mucosal improvement. However, clinical response rate was lower than previously reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Feeding Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland, e-mail: moniczekg@op.pl.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szychta
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Feeding Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiernicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Feeding Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dądalski
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Landowski
authors.affiliation: 1st Chair of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Poznan, University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klincewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karolewska-Bochenek
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Nursery Unit of Pomeranian Medical University, Division of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Rheumatology of Zdroje Hospital in Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Grażyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czaja-Bulsa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Allergology. Medical University of Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jarocka-Cyrta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics. State Hospital no 2. Medical College. University of Rzeszow, Poland.
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Korczowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sladek
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Feeding Disorders and Pediatrics, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jaroslaw
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kierkus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D060828:Induction Chemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D000069285:Infliximab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060046:Maintenance Chemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D000069285:Infliximab
keywords: children; infliximab; ulcerative colitis