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Fistula healing after using Remicade?

Has anyone been lucky to hv got anal fistula healed after Remicade? I

I v had two abscess surgeries and the later one never closed and formed fistula. After using Humira for 9 months..the track even increased. Doctor hv now shifted me to Remicade. Continuing Azathioprine along
Keeping fingers crossed 🤞

If anyone has their experience with Remicade regarding fistula healing..pls share
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
https://www.mdedge.com/hcvhub/artic...crease-infliximab-dosing-heal-crohns-fistulas

SAN DIEGO – It takes more than the usual 5 mg/kg of infliximab to heal perianal fistulas in some Crohn’s disease patients, according to a multicenter review of 117 cases.

The investigators aimed for trough levels of at least 10-20 mcg/mL, higher than the usual target of perhaps 7 mcg/mL or less. Doing so generally required 10 mg/kg every 8 weeks, but a few patients needed 10 mg/kg or even 15 mg/kg every 4 weeks. Fistulas healed in 63 (54%) patients and closed in 36 (31%).

Dr. Andres J. Yarur
Dr. Andres J. Yarur

Troughs of at least 10 mcg/mL and a history of dose escalation were both independent predictors of fistula healing, defined as the absence of drainage. Patients with fistula healing had significantly higher infliximab levels compared to those with active fistulas (18.5 vs. 6.5 mcg/mL; P less than .0001), and there was an incremental gain in healing with higher infliximab levels up to 50 mcg/mL. The association between infliximab levels and fistula healing had an area under the curve of 0.82 (P less than .0001) and the association with fistula closure was 0.69 (P = .014).

“Infliximab levels needed to achieve fistula healing were higher than what [has] been described for mucosal healing. Achieving higher infliximab levels in patients with Crohn’s disease and perianal fistulas may improve outcomes and should be considered in a treat-to-target strategy. At least 10-20 mcg/mL may be needed to achieve fistula healing in some patients,” concluded investigator Dr. Andres J. Yarur, a gastroenterologist at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

“Obviously, in somebody with active perianal fistulas” at a trough of 30 mcg/mL, “it’s time to try something else, but I don’t give up on infliximab at a level of 7 mcg/mL, like a lot of people do. I’m kind of aggressive with these patients.” There wasn’t a formal assessment of adverse events, but “we have not really seen any side effects,” he said at the annual Digestive Disease Week meeting. One audience member remarked that the findings will likely change how he treats Crohn’s fistulas.

Dr. Yarur said he wasn’t surprised by the findings, “but I have more reassurance now” that aggressive dosing is the way to go for aggressive Crohn’s.

The patients were an average of 39 years old, with a mean disease duration of 12 years; about half were women. They were on infliximab for a median of 19 months. Infliximab antibodies dropped the likelihood of healing (odds ratio, 0.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.005-0.3; P less than .001) and closure (OR 0.038; 95% CI, 0.005-0.3; P less than .0001). About two-thirds of the patients were on concomitant immunomodulators, but they did not increase the odds of healing (OR 1.7; 95% CI, 0.8-3.7; P = .157).

“We usually start at a standard dose of 5 mg/kg, and then start checking troughs at week 14, before the first maintenance dose, and adjust” upward to hit the trough target. However, dosing also depends on “how much I think the patient needs. I don’t think we should standardize trough levels,” Dr. Yarur said. The team checks levels with the homogeneous mobility-shift assay from Prometheus Laboratories. “The type of assay you use is very important,” because interpretation of the results varies from one to the next.

De-escalation is on a case-by-case basis. “I would be very careful de-escalating somebody [who] has very aggressive disease. Many times patients don’t want to go down. They say ‘I feel good doc. I have no side effects. Leave me on my dose,’ ” he said.

There was a lack of cross-sectional imaging in the study; the investigators couldn’t distinguish simple fistulas from complex ones in their review.

Dr. Yarur had no disclosures. There was no industry funding for the work.
 
Thanks my little penguin
That’s quite informative. I m on my initial doses right now but surely will discuss that with my GI. Currently he s giving according to 5mg/kg rule.
Let’s hope for the best
 
I had excellent results with Remicade healing my fistulas and keeping them closed for a few years after I stopped it. I hope it works for you.
 
I was on it for almost 10 years, I think. I decided to stop when I got pregnant. When I tried to go on a few years later, I had developed antibodies and had a couple of infusion reactions.

I definitely recommend staying on it once you start. If I could do it over again, I wouldn't have stopped it.
 
Thank you all for your posts! I am 74 yr old male with Crohn's for 10 yrs. Have done well on Mesalimine 1.2 Gm Tabs. Have had 2 Peri-anal Abscess surgeries in Past 2 yrs and one Peri-anal ulceration surgery. NOW my GI wants to Rx Remicade to reduce chances of recurrence of abscess or fistula and I am terrified of Side effects. Are BENEFITS REALLY worth the Risks? Thanks!
 
It’s been 6 months for me to be on Remicade... no side effects as of now.. everything seems same .
Well the fistula too remains same.. not yet closed but I m experiencing less frequent flareups now.

May b too early for an improvement but no side effects for sure
All the best
 
It’s been 6 months for me to be on Remicade... no side effects as of now.. everything seems same .
Well the fistula too remains same.. not yet closed but I m experiencing less frequent flareups now.

May b too early for an improvement but no side effects for sure
All the best
Hello. I like to check if you might have had any progress in your fistula? Thanks in advance
 
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