Health-related quality of life during natalizumab maintenance therapy for Crohn's disease

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the effects of treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) during a randomized controlled trial of natalizumab maintenance therapy (ENACT-2) using both disease-specific and generic measures. METHODS: Crohn's disease patients who received natalizumab as induction therapy in ENACT-1 (N=724) and responded (N=339) were re-randomized to ENACT-2 in which they received natalizumab 300 mg (N=168) or placebo (N=171) every 4 wk for 48 additional wk. Outcome measures were the change from baseline on the inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ), the short form-36 (SF-36), the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), and a subject global assessment. RESULTS: At entry into ENACT-1, scores indicated substantially impaired HRQoL for both the disease-specific and general measures. Natalizumab responders showed clinically meaningful improvement in HRQoL over the course of the ENACT-1 study. During maintenance therapy, IBDQ and SF-36 scale scores of patients who responded to natalizumab induction and were re-randomized to receive the drug in ENACT-2 (N=168) remained stable, while those re-randomized to placebo (N=171) worsened. At week 60, 48 wk after the initiation of maintenance therapy, the mean change from ENACT-1 baseline of all scales of the IBDQ and the SF-36 was significantly higher for those who continued to receive natalizumab (P<0.001 for all scales). The scores of patients who received maintenance natalizumab treatment were not statistically different from those of a cross-section of the U.S. population for 6 of 8 scales of the SF-36. CONCLUSIONS: The substantial improvement in HRQoL experienced by patients who responded to natalizumab induction therapy was maintained during an additional 48 wk of maintenance therapy.