Original Contribution
The American Journal of Gastroenterology (2006) 101, 1030–1038; doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2006.00463.x
Factors Associated with the Development of Intestinal Strictures or Obstructions in Patients with Crohn's Disease
Gary R Lichtenstein MD1, Allan Olson MD2, Suzanne Travers MD2, Robert H Diamond MD2, Donny M Chen3, Michelle L Pritchard3, Brian G Feagan MD4, Russell D Cohen MD5, Bruce A Salzberg MD6, Stephen B Hanauer MD5 and William J Sandborn MD7
- 1Division of Gastroenterology, Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- 2Centocor, Inc., Malvern, Pennsylvania
- 3Ovation Research Group, Highland Park, Illinois
- 4The University of Western Ontario, The Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario
- 5Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
- 6Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, Atlanta, Georgia
- 7Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota
Correspondence: Gary R Lichtenstein, MD, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Third Floor Ravdin Building, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104–4283.
Received 23 June 2005; Accepted 28 October 2005.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Theoretical concern exists that rapid luminal healing in Crohn's disease (CD) with therapies like infliximab increases the risk of intestinal stenosis, stricture, or obstruction (SSOs).
METHODS:
Data were analyzed from the ongoing observational TREAT (the Crohn's Therapy, Resource, Evaluation, and Assessment Tool) Registry and ACCENT I (A Crohn's Disease Clinical Trial Evaluating Infliximab in a New Long-Term Treatment Regimen) study. Investigators reported SSOs as adverse events or serious adverse events.
RESULTS:
In TREAT, SSOs occurred at a significantly higher rate in patients treated with infliximab compared with patients who received other treatments only (1.95 events/100 patient-years vs 0.99 events/100 patient-years; p < 0.001). Using multivariable analyses, however, infliximab therapy was not associated with SSO development. CD severity at the time of event onset (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.35, 95% confidence internal (CI) 1.35–4.09); CD duration (HR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.00–1.04); ileal disease (HR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.04–2.36); and new corticosteroid use (HR = 2.85, 95% CI 1.23–6.57) were associated with SSOs. In ACCENT I, no increase in SSOs was reported in patients who received infliximab maintenance therapy compared with those who received episodic therapy, despite higher median cumulative infliximab exposure. Additionally, there was no increase in SSO development with rapid mucosal healing (healing at week 10).
CONCLUSIONS:
Although unadjusted analyses suggested that patients who received infliximab were twice as likely to develop SSOs, multivariable analysis adjusting for other factors demonstrated that only disease duration, disease severity, ileal disease, and new corticosteroid use were significantly associated with SSO development.
