Gut Liver.  2021 Sep;15(5):752-762. 10.5009/gnl20233.

Long-term Outcomes after the Discontinuation of Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Therapy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease under Clinical Remission: A Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Disease Multicenter Study

• Song JH
• Kang EA
• Park SK
• Hong SN
• Kim YS
• Bang KB
• Kim KO
• Lee HS
• Kang SB
• Shin SY
• Song EM
• Im JP
• Choi CH
• Group of the Korean Association for the Study of Intestinal Diseases

• KMID: 2520127
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5009/gnl20233

Abstract

Background/Aims
Our study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes and risk factors for relapse after anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α cessation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients because they are not well established.
Methods
A retrospective multicenter cohort study was conducted involving patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) from 10 referral hospitals in Korea who discontinued firstline anti-TNF therapy after achieving clinical remission.
Results
A total of 109 IBD patients (71 CD and 38 UC) with a median follow-up duration of 56months were analyzed. The cumulative relapse rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 11.3%, 46.7%, and 62.5% for CD patients and 28.9%, 45.3%, and 60.9% for UC patients. Multivariable Cox analysis revealed that discontinuation owing to the clinician’s decision was associated with lower risk of relapse (vs patient’s preference: hazard ratio [HR], 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 0.48; p=0.002) and adalimumab use was associated with higher risk of relapse (vs infliximab: HR, 4.42; 95% CI, 1.24 to 17.74; p=0.022) in CD patients. Mucosal healing was associated with lower risk of relapse (vs nonmucosal healing: HR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.83; p=0.031) in UC patients. Anti-TNF re-induction was provided to 52 patients, and a response was obtained in 50 patients. However, 25 of them discontinued retreatment owing to a loss of response (n=15), the patient’s preference (n=6), and other factors (n=4).
Conclusions
More than 60% of IBD patients in remission under anti-TNF therapy relapsed within 5 years of treatment cessation. Anti-TNF re-induction was effective. However, half of the patients discontinued anti-TNF therapy, and 50% of these patients discontinued treatment owing to loss of response.

Keyword

Inflammatory bowel diseases; Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors; Withholding treat-ment; Recurrence