Background and AimsPrior studies on the effect of smoking on the risk of colitis-associated colorectal neoplasia (CRN) have reported conflicting results. We aimed to further elucidate the... Show moreBackground and AimsPrior studies on the effect of smoking on the risk of colitis-associated colorectal neoplasia (CRN) have reported conflicting results. We aimed to further elucidate the association between smoking, including possible dose-effects, and the development of colorectal neoplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).MethodsWe performed a prospective multicenter cohort study including patients with colonic IBD enrolled in a surveillance program in four academic hospitals between 2011 and 2021. The effects of smoking status and pack-years at study entry on subsequent recurrent events of CRN (including indefinite, low- and high-grade dysplasia, and colorectal cancer [CRC]) were evaluated using uni- and multivariable Prentice, Williams, and Peterson total-time Cox proportional hazard models. Adjustment was performed for extensive disease, prior/index dysplasia, sex, age, first-degree relative with CRC, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and endoscopic inflammation.ResultsIn 501 of the enrolled 576 patients, at least one follow-up surveillance was performed after the study index (median follow-up 5 years). CRN occurred at least once in 105 patients. Ever smoking was not associated with recurrent CRN risk (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75–1.44), but an increasing number of pack-years was associated with an increased risk of recurrent CRN (aHR per 10 pack-years 1.17, 95% CI 1.03–1.32; p < 0.05). Separate analyses per IBD type did not reveal differences.ConclusionsThis study found that an increase in pack-years is associated with a higher risk of recurrent CRN in patients with IBD, independent of established CRN risk factors (NCT01464151). Show less
Background: X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) deficiency is a rare primary immunodeficiency disease caused by XIAP gene mutations. A broad range of phenotype, severity, and age at onset... Show moreBackground: X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) deficiency is a rare primary immunodeficiency disease caused by XIAP gene mutations. A broad range of phenotype, severity, and age at onset present challenges for patient management. Objective: We sought to characterize the phenotype, treatment, and survival outcomes of XIAP deficiency and to assess parameters influencing prognosis. Methods: Data published from 2006 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 167 patients from 117 families with XIAP deficiency were reported with 90 different mutations. A wide spectrum of clinical features were seen, of which hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and inflammatory bowel disease were the most common. Patients frequently developed multiple features with no clear genotype-phenotype correlation. A total of 117 patients were managed conservatively and 50 underwent hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT), with respective overall survival probabilities of 90% and 53% at age 16 years. The predominant indication for HSCT was early-onset HLH. Active HLH and myeloablative conditioning regimens increased HSCT-related mortality, although HSCT outcome was much better after 2015 than before. For conservatively managed patients reaching adulthood, survival probabilities were 86% at age 30 years and 37% by age 52 years, with worse outcomes for patients developing the disease before the age of 5 years or with new disease features in adulthood. Nine asymptomatic mutation carriers with a median age of 13.5 years were identified. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the variable nature of XIAP deficiency, which evolves over life for individual patients. Better therapeutic strategies and prospective studies are required to reduce morbidity and mortality and improve decision making and long-term outcomes for patients with XIAP deficiency. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022;150:456-66.) Show less
FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are a specialized population of CD4(+) T cells that restrict immune activation and are essential to prevent systemic autoimmunity. In the intestine, the... Show moreFOXP3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are a specialized population of CD4(+) T cells that restrict immune activation and are essential to prevent systemic autoimmunity. In the intestine, the major function of Treg cells is to regulate inflammation as shown by a wide array of mechanistic studies in mice. While Treg cells originating from the thymus can home to the intestine, the majority of Treg cells residing in the intestine are induced from FOXP3(neg) conventional CD4(+) T cells to elicit tolerogenic responses to microbiota and food antigens. This process largely takes place in the gut draining lymph nodes via interaction with antigen-presenting cells that convert circulating naive T cells into Treg cells. Notably, dysregulation of Treg cells leads to a number of chronic inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease. Thus, understanding intestinal Treg cell biology in settings of inflammation and homeostasis has the potential to improve therapeutic options for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Here, the induction, maintenance, trafficking, and function of intestinal Treg cells is reviewed in the context of intestinal inflammation and inflammatory bowel disease. In this review we propose intestinal Treg cells do not compose fixed Treg cell subsets, but rather (like T helper cells), are plastic and can adopt different programs depending on microenvironmental cues. Show less
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic immunological digestive diseases with a progressive character and associated with significant... Show moreInflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic immunological digestive diseases with a progressive character and associated with significant healthcare costs. Different solutions have been proposed such as innovation in care monitoring or implementation of electronic health (eHealth). IBD is one of many chronic diseases that could benefit from eHealth, adding smartphone applications to the toolbox for care management has the potential improve disease understanding, enhance medication adherence, improve patient-physician communications, and for earlier interventions by medical professionals when problems arise. Furthermore, the accessibility to Big Data and increased computational resources have paved the way for Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide potential solutions for the management of prototypical complex diseases with advanced heterogeneity and alternating disease states, like IBD. In this thesis we assessed the current economic and psychosocial impact of IBD by assessing its effect on indirect costs, productivity and caregiving. Furthermore, we observed if we can proactively identify IBD patients’ needs using eHealth and Artificial Intelligence. Lastly, we analyze the impact of monitoring IBD patients using eHealth interventions in order to facilitate the delivery of high-value care. Show less
Lie, M.R.K.L.; Kreijne, J.E.; Dijkstra, G.; Lowenberg, M.; Assche, G. van; West, R.L.; ... ; Dutch Initiative Crohn Colitis 2020
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Ulcerative proctitis (UP) refractory to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) suppositories is a challenge to treat, often requiring step up to immunomodulator or biological therapy.... Show moreBACKGROUND & AIMS: Ulcerative proctitis (UP) refractory to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) suppositories is a challenge to treat, often requiring step up to immunomodulator or biological therapy. Topical tacrolimus is effective and safe in patients with refractory UP. However, it is not clear how tacrolimus suppositories fit into in the treatment algorithm of UP.METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled, double-blind study at 8 hospitals in the Netherlands and Belgium from 2014 through 2017. Eighty-five patients with refractory UP (65% women) were randomly assigned to groups given once daily tacrolimus suppositories (2 mg; n = 43) or beclomethasone (3 mg; n = 42) for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was clinical response (decrease in Mayo score of 3 or more). Secondary outcomes included clinical remission, endoscopic response and remission, adverse events and quality of life. Outcomes were compared using Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U test.RESULTS: Proportions of patients with clinical responses were 63% in the tacrolimus group and 59% in the beclomethasone group (P = .812); proportions of patients in clinical remission were 46% and 38%, respectively (P = .638). Proportions of patients with an endoscopic response were 68% and 60% in the tacrolimus group and in the beclomethasone group (P = .636); proportions in endoscopic remission rates were 30% and 13%, respectively (P = .092) Median increases in the inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire score were 18.0 in the tacrolimus group and 20.5 in the beclomethasone group (P = .395). Adverse event rates did not differ significantly between groups.CONCLUSIONS: In a 4-week randomized controlled trial, tacrolimus and beclomethasone suppositories induce comparable clinical and endoscopic responses in patients with UP refractory to 5-ASA. There were no significant differences in adverse events rates. Tacrolimus and beclomethasone suppositories are therefore each safe and effective treatment options for 5-ASA refractory disease. Show less
Background: Liver transplantation remains the only effective evidence based treatment for advanced primary sclerosing cholangitis. However, recurrence of disease occurs in approximately 18%.Aims:... Show moreBackground: Liver transplantation remains the only effective evidence based treatment for advanced primary sclerosing cholangitis. However, recurrence of disease occurs in approximately 18%.Aims: This study aimed to assess risk factors of recurrence of primary sclerosing cholangitis.Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on patients undergoing transplantation for recurrence of primary sclerosing cholangitis in two academic centers (Leuven, Belgium and Leiden, The Netherlands). Besides other risk factors, the degree of mucosal inflammation was assessed as a potential risk factor using histological Geboes scores.Results: 81 patients were included, of which 62 (76.5%) were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Seventeen patients (21.0%) developed rPSC during a median follow-up time of 5.2 years. In a subset of 42 patients no association was found between the degree of mucosal inflammation and recurrence, using both original Geboes scores and multiple cut-off points. In the total cohort, cytomegaloviremia post-transplantation (HR: 4.576, 95%CI 1.688-12.403) and younger receiver age at time of liver transplantation (HR: 0.934, 95%CI 0.881-0.990) were independently associated with an increased risk of recurrence of disease.Conclusion: This study found no association between the degree of mucosal inflammation and recurrence of primary sclerosing cholangitis. An association with recurrence was found for cytomegaloviremia postliver transplantation and younger age at time of liver transplantation. (C) 2020 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Show less
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and mesenchymal stromal (MSC) cell therapy are currently under investigation as novel therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Hematopoietic... Show moreHematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and mesenchymal stromal (MSC) cell therapy are currently under investigation as novel therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Hematopoietic stem cells are thought to repopulate the immune system and reset the immunological response to luminal antigens. MSCs have the capacity to differentiate into a wide variety of distinct cell lineages and to suppress immune responses in vitro and in vivo. The main goal of this thesis was to study the safety, feasibility, and applicability of stem cell therapy in IBD. Chapter 2 concludes that autologous HSCT appears to be safe and can be an alternative strategy for Crohn__s disease patients with severe and therapy resistant disease. Data from the phase I study described in Chapter 3 demonstrates that MSCs isolated from Crohn__s disease patients have similar characteristics compared to MSCs from healthy donors and that administration of autologous bone marrow derived MSCs appears to be safe and feasible in the treatment of refractory Crohn__s disease. Chapter 4 shows that MSC phenotype and function are not affected by therapeutic concentrations of drugs commonly used in the treatment of IBD. Chapter 5 demonstrates that IFN-_ activation of MSCs increases their immunosuppresive capacities and importantly, their therapeutic efficacy in vivo. Show less
