To Örebro University

OBJECTIVE: The effectiveness of golimumab in Crohn's disease (CD) is largely unknown as it is not approved for the treatment of the disease. We aimed to identify the population of CD patients treated with golimumab in Sweden, to assess the effectiveness of golimumab (defined as the drug retention rate), and to identify predictors of drug discontinuation.

METHODS: Patients with CD who received at least one injection of golimumab were identified through the Swedish National Quality Registry for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which includes prospectively collected clinical information. Cox regression models were used to identify predictors of golimumab discontinuation.

RESULTS: The study cohort involved 94 patients of whom the majority (96.8%) had previously discontinued at least one anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agent. The drug retention rate at 12 weeks was 85.1%. Predictors of golimumab discontinuation at 12 weeks were previous surgery (adjusted HR = 7.52, 95% CI: 1.12-50.36), concomitant corticosteroid use at baseline (adjusted HR = 5.70, 95% CI: 1.13-28.68) and female sex (adjusted HR = 6.59; 95% CI: 1.04-41.62). The median duration of follow-up was 89 (IQR: 32-158) weeks. The drug retention at the most recent follow-up was 35.1%. Predictors of golimumab discontinuation at the most recent follow-up were corticosteroid use at baseline (adjusted HR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.17-5.79) and female sex (adjusted HR = 2.24; 95% CI: 1.19-4.23).

CONCLUSION: Patients with CD treated with golimumab were a treatment-refractory group. Despite this, more than one-third of the patients appeared to have had clinical benefit after a median follow-up of more than 1.5 years.

Background: Prospectively and systematically collected real-world data on vedolizumab are scarce. We aimed to assess the long-term clinical effectiveness of vedolizumab in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: This study was a prospective, observational, multicentre study. Overall, 286 patients with active IBD were included (Crohn's disease, n = 169; ulcerative colitis, n = 117). The primary outcomes were clinical response at week 12 and clinical remission at week 52, based on the Harvey Bradshaw Index and the partial Mayo Clinic score. Secondary outcomes included clinical remission at week 12, clinical response at week 52, corticosteroid-free clinical remission at week 52, changes in biochemical measures, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Results: At baseline, 88% of the patients were exposed to anti-TNF and 41% of the patients with Crohn's disease had undergone ⩾1 surgical resection. At week 12, clinical response was 27% and remission 47% in Crohn's disease; corresponding figures in ulcerative colitis were 52% and 34%. Clinical response, remission and corticosteroid-free remission at week 52 were 22%, 41% and 40% in Crohn's disease and 49%, 47% and 46% in ulcerative colitis, respectively. A statistically significant decrease in median faecal-calprotectin and C-reactive protein was observed at 12 and 52 weeks in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The HRQoL measures Short Health Scale and EuroQol 5-Dimensions improved in both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients (p < 0.001). Clinical disease activity at baseline was inversely associated with clinical remission at week 52.

Conclusion: Vedolizumab proved effective for the treatment of refractory IBD in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Comparisons of second-line anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents and vedolizumab are sparse.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of anti-TNF agents compared to vedolizumab as second-line biologics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS: A propensity score-matched cohort was created using Swedish nationwide registers. Patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, exposed to first-line anti-TNF treatment, who initiated a second anti-TNF agent or vedolizumab in 2014-2016 (N = 1363) were included. The primary outcome was drug survival at 12 months. Secondarily, we assessed survival without IBD-related hospitalisation, IBD-related surgery, antibiotics, or hospitalisation because of infection, and also corticosteroid exposure.

RESULTS: After 1:1 propensity score matching, 400 patients (Crohn's disease, N = 198; ulcerative colitis, N = 202) remained. For Crohn's disease, drug survival was 73% in the vedolizumab group vs 74% in the anti-TNF group (difference: 1 percentage point; 95% confidence interval [CI]:-11-13; P = 0.87). Survival without IBD-related hospitalisation (82% vs 88%), surgery (82% vs 89%), antibiotics (65% vs 71%), hospitalisation due to infection (95% vs 88%) and corticosteroids (58% vs 48%) were not statistically significantly different between groups. For ulcerative colitis, drug survival was 69% in the vedolizumab group vs 62% in the anti-TNF group (difference: -7 percentage points; 95% CI: -20 to 6; P = 0.30). Vedolizumab-treated patients had lower survival without IBD-related hospitalisation (82% vs 93%, P = 0.02). Survival without colectomy (93% vs 97%), antibiotics (81% vs 70%), hospitalisation due to infection (92% vs 92%) and corticosteroids (58% vs 48%) were not statistically significantly different.

CONCLUSIONS: Based on Swedish clinical practice, the effectiveness and safety of second-line anti-TNF and vedolizumab at 12 months appeared largely similar.