Impact of comorbidities on anti-TNFα response and relapse in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: the VERNE study

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of comorbidities and extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease on the response of patients with inflammatory bowel disease to antitumour necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFα) therapy.

Design: Data from 310 patients (194 with Crohn's disease and 116 with ulcerative colitis) treated consecutively with the first anti-TNFα in 24 Spanish hospitals were retrospectively analysed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between inflammatory bowel disease comorbidities and extraintestinal manifestations with anti-TNFα treatment outcomes. Key clinical features, such as type of inflammatory bowel disease and concomitant treatments, were included as fixed factors in the model.

Results: Multivariate logistic regression analyses (OR, 95% CI) showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2.67, 1.33 to 5.35) and hepato-pancreato-biliary diseases (1.87, 1.48 to 2.36) were significantly associated with primary non-response to anti-TNFα, as was the use of corticosteroids and the type of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis vs Crohn's disease). It was also found that myocardial infarction (3.30, 1.48 to 7.35) and skin disease (2.73, 1.42 to 5.25) were significantly associated with loss of response, along with the use of corticosteroids and the type of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis vs Crohn's disease).

Conclusions: Our results suggest that the presence of some comorbidities in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and myocardial infarction, and of certain extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease, such as hepato-pancreato-biliary conditions and skin diseases, appear to be related to failure to anti-TNFα treatment. Therefore, their presence should be considered when choosing a treatment.

Trial registration number: NCT02861118.

Keywords: Crohn's disease; TNF-alpha; immune response; ulcerative colitis.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: IM-J has served as a consultant, advisory member, speaker, or has received research funding from MSD, AbbVie, Takeda, Tillotts, Ferring, Falk Pharma, Faes Farma, UCB Pharma, Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Shire, Gebro Pharma, and Chiesi. GB has received a speaker honorarium from AbbVie, Pfizer, Janssen, FAES, Takeda, Tillotts and Abbott. Also, GB has participated in the scientific advisory committees of Takeda, Janssen and AbbVie. EG-P has served as a speaker or received research or educational funding or advisory fees from MSD, AbbVie, Janssen, Ferring, Shire, Tillotts, and FAES. FA-A has served as a speaker, a consultant and as an advisory member for or have received research funding from Janssen, MSD, AbbVie, Pfizer, Kern Pharma, Biogen, Sandoz, Takeda, Ferring, Faes Farma, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Dr Falk Pharma, Tillotts Pharma, Gebro Pharma, Amgen and Vifor Pharma. IT, AF-N, and CM are full employees of Takeda Farmacéutica España. PS was a Takeda Farmacéutica España employee at the moment this work was conducted. MA has served as a speaker for MSD, AbbVie, Janssen, Takeda and Tillotts, and received educational grants from Janssen, MSD and AbbVie. JS-F has nothing to declare. MMB-W declares educational activities, research projects, scientific meetings and advisory boards sponsored by MSD, Ferring, AbbVie, Janssen and Takeda. RF has served as a speaker for or has received research funding from Takeda, MSD, AbbVie, Janssen, Palex, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Tillotts Pharma and Casen Recordati. OM has nothing to declare. MB-A has served as a speaker, a consultant and advisory board member for, or has received research funding from, MSD, AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer, Kern Pharma, Biogen, Takeda, Ferring, Faes Farma, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Dr Falk Pharma, Tillotts Pharma, Chiesi, Gebro Pharma, Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Vifor Pharma.

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Figures

Figure 1

Prevalence of comorbidities. The following comorbidities presented a prevalence of 0%: dementia, hemiplegia, moderate-severe chronic kidney disease, solid tumours with metastases, and AIDS. COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.