P65 | The Internist and Chronic Intestinal Diseases
D. Ferrante1, G. Zaccardo2, N. Buccianti2, N. Mecca2, M. Pace2, V. Caterina2, F. Coviello2 | 1UOC Medicina Interna, Azienda Ospedaliera San Carlo, Potenza, 2UOC Medicina Interna, Potenza, Italy
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Study Background and Purpose: Chronic intestinal diseases (CIDs) are often associated with intestinal complications (fistulas, abscesses, stricture-obstruction, toxic megacolon) and extraintestinal complications. The aim of this work is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biological therapy in IBD.
Materials and Methods: Between 2018-2023, 89 patients (51 M; 38 F) with Crohn's disease (30 patients) and ulcerative colitis (59 patients) were enrolled, with a mean age of 38 years. The biological drugs used were: infliximab (31 patients), adalimumab (44 patients), vedolizumab (2 patients), ustekinumab (9 patients), and upadacitinib (3 patients).
Results: Biological therapy resulted in remission of symptoms and complications in 70% of cases, normalization of ESR, CRP, and calprotectin, and mucosal healing. The safety of biological drugs has been excellent. Switch therapy and swap therapy were performed in 15 patients due to an inadequate response to the medication.
Conclusions: Biological therapy provides effective control of IBD, leading to a reduction in both intestinal and extraintestinal complications. Mucosal healing is the ideal endpoint for controlling the natural history of IBD and is the exclusive domain of biological therapy.
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