Emerging therapeutic options in inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease that requires chronic treatment throughout the evolution of the disease, with a complex physiopathology that entails great challenges for the development of new and specific treatments for ulcerative colitis and Crohn´s disease. The anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapy has impacted the clinical course of IBD in those patients who do not respond to conventional treatment, so there is a need to develop new therapies and markers of treatment response. Various pathways involved in the development of the disease are known and the new therapies have focused on blocking the inflammatory process at the gastrointestinal level by oral, intravenous, subcutaneous, and topical route. All these new therapies can lead to more personalized treatments with higher success rates and fewer relapses. These treatments have not only focused on clinical remission, but also on achieving macroscopic changes at the endoscopic level and microscopic changes by achieving mucosal healing. These treatments are mainly based on modifying signaling pathways, by blocking receptors or ligands, reducing cell migration and maintaining the integrity of the epithelial barrier. Therefore, this review presents the efficacy and safety of the new treatments that are currently under study and the advances that have been made in this area in recent years.     

Hirschsprung-associated inflammatory bowel disease: A multicenter study from the APSA Hirschsprung disease interest group

Background/PurposeA small number of Hirschsprung disease (HD) patients develop inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-like symptoms after pullthrough surgery. The etiology and pathophysiology of Hirschsprung-associated IBD (HD-IBD) remains unknown. This study aims to further characterize HD-IBD, to identify potential risk factors and to evaluate response to treatment in a large group of patients.MethodsRetrospective study of patients diagnosed with IBD after pullthrough surgery between 2000 and 2021 at 17 institutions. Data regarding clinical presentation and course of HD and IBD were reviewed. Effectiveness of medical therapy for IBD was recorded using a Likert scale.ResultsThere were 55 patients (78% male). 50% (n = 28) had long segment disease. Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC) was reported in 68% (n = 36). Ten patients (18%) had Trisomy 21. IBD was diagnosed after age 5 in 63% (n = 34). IBD presentation consisted of colonic or small bowel inflammation resembling IBD in 69% (n = 38), unexplained or persistent fistula in 18% (n = 10) and unexplained HAEC >5 years old or unresponsive to standard treatment in 13% (n = 7). Biological agents were the most effective (80%) medications. A third of patients required a surgical procedure for IBD.ConclusionMore than half of the patients were diagnosed with HD-IBD after 5 years old. Long segment disease, HAEC after pull through operation and trisomy 21 may represent risk factors for this condition. Investigation for possible IBD should be considered in children with unexplained fistulae, HAEC beyond the age of 5 or unresponsive to standard therapy, and symptoms suggestive of IBD. Biological agents were the most effective medical treatment.Level of EvidenceLevel 4     

翁连解毒汤治疗浊毒内蕴型溃疡性结肠炎的疗效观察

目的：探究翁连解毒汤治疗浊毒内蕴型溃疡性结肠炎（Ulcerative Colitis，UC）临床疗效及可能的作用机制。方法：选取2016年2月至2018年12月在攀枝花学院附属医院收治的浊毒内蕴型UC患者130例作为研究对象，按照入院先后顺序分为对照组和观察组，每组65例。对照组常规西医治疗，观察组加用翁连解毒汤，观察2组治疗前、完成治疗后T细胞、NK细胞、炎性反应因子、凝血功能、生命质量变化，完成治疗后总结疗效。结果：观察组患者在NK细胞、T淋巴细胞组成、CR、TNF-α、IL-1 β、ESR、内毒素、IL-10、FIB、PLT、APTT改善方面的效果较对照组更优，组间差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。观察组患者完成治疗后的生命质量量表各维度评分及总评分改善效果优于对照组患者（P<0.05），且临床总有效率和组织病理学疗效率均高于对照组患者（P<0.05）。结论：翁连解毒汤能抑制浊毒内蕴型UC炎性反应，改善高凝状态，提高机体免疫功能，从而提高疗效和生命质量。     

丹参川芎嗪注射液联合西药对急性缺血性脑卒中患者脑组织的保护作用及对预后的影响

目的:观察丹参川芎嗪注射液联合西药治疗对急性缺血性脑卒中患者脑组织的保护作用及对预后的影响。方法:以268例急性缺血性脑卒中患者为研究对象,按随机数字表法分为研究组和对照组各134例,2组均予西药治疗,研究组予以丹参川芎嗪注射液联合治疗,2组均随访至12周。治疗前后检测2组患者的血清炎症相关因子[超敏C-反应蛋白(hs-CRP)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)、白细胞介素-6 (IL-6)、白细胞介素-8 (IL-8)]、血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)、神经元特异性烯醇化酶(NSE)和S-100β水平,随访评定患者治疗12周内的美国国立卫生研究院卒中量表(NIHSS)评分和日常生活能力量表(BI)评分。结果:治疗3周,2组hs-CRP、TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平均低于入院时(P<0.01);研究组各因子水平均低于对照组(P<0.01)。2组血清NSE和S-100β水平均较入院时降低(P<0.01),而VEGF水平较入院时升高(P<0.01)。研究组血清NSE和S-100β水平均低于对照组,VEGF水平高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01)。2组治疗后一时间点的NIHSS评分均低于同组治疗前一时间点(P<0.01),而2组治疗后一时间点的BI评分均高于同组治疗前一时间点水平(P<0.01)。治疗6周和12周,研究组的NIHSS评分均低于对照组(P<0.01),而BI评分均高于对照组(P<0.01)。结论:丹参川芎嗪注射液联合西药治疗可以有效减轻急性缺血性脑卒中患者的血管炎症反应程度、血管内皮细胞和脑组织的损伤程度,促进大脑神经细胞修复,提高患者卒中后的生活能力,防止卒中后肢体发生功能障碍,改善患者预后。     

黄连解毒汤对重度颅脑损伤合并肺部感染患者血气指标和炎症因子影响分析

目的:观察黄连解毒汤对重度颅脑损伤合并肺部感染患者血气指标和炎症因子的影响,探讨其治疗效果。方法:随机抽签方式将77例重度颅脑损伤合并肺部感染患者分为两组。对照组35例接受常规治疗,研究组42例在常规治疗基础上,联合黄连解毒汤直肠灌注及全身擦浴治疗。评估两组临床效果,记录两组呼吸机使用时间、ICU入住时间及治疗费用,测定两组治疗前后血气指标和炎症因子。结果:两组临床治疗效果间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。与对照组比,研究组呼吸机使用时间和ICU入住时间明显缩短,ICU治疗费用显著减少(P<0.01)。治疗后两组SaO、PaO₂水平明显上升,PaCO₂及血清PCT、IL-1β、HMGB-1、CRP水平明显下降(P<0.05)。组间比较,研究组SaO、PaO₂水平高于对照组,PaCO₂及血清PCT、IL-1β、HMGB-1、CRP水平低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:黄连解毒汤直肠灌注联合全身擦浴可明显控制重度颅脑损伤合并肺部感染患者感染病症,改善血气指标,调节炎症反应,缩短呼吸机使用时间和ICU入住时间,减少患者的治疗费用。     

Diet and nutrition against inflammatory bowel disease: Trick or treat(ment)?

Even if the relationships between nutrition and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remain underexplored, the current literature is providing, day by day, much more evidence on the effects of various diets in both prevention and treatment of such illnesses. Wrong dietary habits, together with other environmental factors such as pollution, breastfeeding, smoke, and/or antibiotics, are among the theoretical pathogenetic causes of IBD, whose multifactorial aetiology has been already confirmed. While some of these risk factors are potentially reversible, some others cannot be avoided, and efficient treatments become necessary to prevent IBD spread or recurrence. Furthermore, the drugs currently available for treatment of such disease provide low-to-no effect against the symptoms, making the illnesses still strongly disabling. Whether nutrition and specific diets will prove to effectively interrupt the course of IBD has still to be clarified and, in this sense, further research concerning the applications of such dietary interventions is still needed.