Tag Archives: backwash ileitis

IBD Updates: Low Lymphoma Risk, Fewer Biopsies for Ulcerative Colitis, MRE Distinguishes Backwash Ileitis, Beta-Fructans and IBD Activity

Posted on by

M Egberg et al. AJC 2023: 118: 354-359. Low Risk of Lymphoma in Pediatric Patients Treated for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Key finding:

  • Using a database with 10,777 pediatric patients (2007-2018) with more than 28,000 patient years, there were 5 lymphomas reported. 4 had received thiopurines and none received anti-TNF monotherapy.

My take: This is a very reassuring study for the safety of anti-TNF agents.

AE Mikolajczyk et al. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2023; 29: 222-227. Assessment of the Degree of Variation of Histologic Inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis

  • In this retrospective study with 92 patients (182 colonoscopies), the authors found “minimal variability between degree of inflammation among biopsy fragments within and among different colorectal segments in UC, suggesting that even a single biopsy would adequately reflect the inflammation of the entire colorectum.”

My take: This study suggests that taking biopsies from every segment of the colon (when it looks uniform) is usually not needed, unless the purpose is to look for dysplasia. Also, it is worth recognizing that individuals with primary sclerosing cholangitis often have greater histologic activity in the right colon.

References only:

Backwash Ileitis Plus One

Posted on by

Briefly Noted:

RM Najarian et al. JPGN 2019; 68: 835-40.  This retrospective study found microscopic/’backwash’ ileitis in 16% (17/105) of patients with new-onset ulcerative colitis. This occurred predominantly in patients with pancolitis (82%). The authors note that the term “backwash ileitis” was derived from an unproven hypothesis that the inflammation was related to retrograde contact with inflammatory substances, though some now consider ileal involvement as a secondary involvement “akin to the upper tract inflammation that can be seen in a subset of patients with UC.” The authors recommend that isolated histologic inflammation of the ileum should “not be construed as being diagnostic of either ‘indeterminant colitis’ or CD [Crohn’s disease].”

K van Hoeve et al. JPGN 2019; 68: 847-53. This retrospective study of 35 children found that higher infliximab levels during induction was associated with higher rates of clinical and biologic remission at 52 weeks. Groups at risk for lower troughs included patients with a lower weight and/or lower hemoglobin level.

Rafaela Flores Calderon by Antonio Maria Esquivel, Museo del Prado (Image in Public Domain)