Tag Archives: inflammatory bowel disease

A-OK for Accutane

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Another article has reaffirmed that isotretinoin (Accutane) does not increase the risk of IBD (JAMA Dermatol 2013; 149: 216-20).  Thanks to Mike Hart for this reference. However, this data will not reverse the millions of dollars that have been lost in litigation (Isotretinoin – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).

Using a large U.S. health claims database (68 million patients), the authors examined women ages 18-46 years who had received at least one oral contraceptive prescription between 2001-2009.  For each patient with IBD, 20 controls were identified in a nested case-control study design.

In total, 2159 IBD cases (1056 UC, 1103 CD) were matched with 43,180 controls.  Only 10 patients with IBD were exposed to isotretinoin compared with 191 controls.  The adjusted relative risk (RR) for IBD was 0.99; for ulcerative colitis the RR was 1.1 (confidence intervals 0.44-2.7) and for Crohn’s disease the RR was 0.91 (confidence interval 0.91).  For the meta-analysis which was a secondary part of this study, the RR for IBD with 5 studies was 0.94.

Conclusion: The study results do not suggest an increase risk of IBD with isotretinoin use.

Why did previous studies suggest a link between IBD and isotretinoin? The authors note that this is the first study to adjust for two main confounders, mainly a diagnosis of acne and use of oral tetracycline antibiotics.  Oral antibiotics, including tetracyclines, have been associated with IBD previously.  In addition, the design limits the confounding of contraceptive usage.

Limitations of this study:

  • Only women were studied; however, there are no known biologic factors that would make isotretinoin more problematic for males.
  • Other risk factors were not examined: smoking, ethnicity, diet, IBD family history

Additional references:

  • -Am J Gastroenterol 2009; 104: 2774-78.  Population-based study in Winnipeg, <40yrs.  n=1960 cases and 19,419 controls.  No differences in the proportions of IBD cases taking isotretinoin vs controls.  1.2% of IBD cases received isotretinoin prior to IBD diagnosis (n=25) compared with 1.1% of controls (n=213).  Mean # of days prior to IBD dx was 1102.  Thus, isotretinoin unlikely to be causally-associated with idiopathic IBD.
  • -IBD 2009; 12: Supplement -abstract O -0002  Increased risk of UC after isotretinoin.  OR 4.36 for developing UC
  • -Am J Gastroenterol 2009; 104: 2387-93.  7 country study found no causal association between isotretinoin & colitis.

FMT -fecal microbiota transplant

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An excellent review of FMT, especially in regard to C difficile infection, has been published (Am J Gastroenterol 2013; 108: 177-85)  Thanks to Ben Gold for sharing this reference.

FMT has been around for a long time.  It is first documented in the 4th century as a treatment for food poisoning or severe diarrhea.  Its current application has focused on C difficile infection (CDI), though its use in a number of other settings is being explored.  This includes irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

This articles makes several useful points.  In the ‘how to do it’ section, the author notes that at the NIH, donor screening includes screening for pathogens in the stool:

  • Bacteria: C difficile, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio cholera, Vibrio parahemoltyicus, H pylori
  • Parasites: Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Isospora (acid fast stain)
  • Viruses: Rotavirus
  • Blood: for Hepatitis A IgM, Hep B (HBsAg, anti-HBc ([gG & IgM]), HIV, Syphilis, HCV

However, the author notes that testing in the community tends to rely on screening only for enteric pathogens (stool tests only).  Donors should be excluded if they have received antibiotics in the preceding 3 months, if they participate in high-risk sexual behaviors, recent tattoo piercing, or recent incarceration.  Additional exclusions: history of IBD, IBS, immunocompromise, morbid obesity, metabolic syndrome, atopy, and chronic fatigue.

Related donors may provide a better long-term outcome.  In a recent review, FMT using a related donor yielded a 93% CDI resolution compared with 84% for unrelated donors.

Nuts and bolts:

  1. Donor is instructed to take a double dose of milk of magnesia at bedtime the night before procedure.
  2. Soft stool is passed into a clean plastic container; preference is for stool to be produced within 8 hour of FMT.  Stool does not need to be frozen or refrigerated (though can be refrigerated).
  3. Saline is added to the stool which is stirred and shaken (some use blenders, some use milk or water as suspending solutions).
  4. Typical amount of stool would be 50 g in 250 cc diluent.  For colonic administration, about 300 cc are administered in cecal region.  For duodenal administration, about 60 cc are administered.
  5. Prior to administration, it is best to filter the mixture through gauze pads to remove particulate matter that would interfere with administration.
  6. Though the author notes that there have been recommendations to prepare stool under a hood as stool is considered a level 2 biohazard, he states that this is not practical and in fact, the stool in this situation is the safest stool that gastroenterologists encounter.
  7. Recipients receive a colon lavage before the procedure regardless of route of FMT administration. If possible, all antibiotics are withheld 3 days prior.
  8. On the morning of administration, the author instructs recipient to take two lopermide tablets.

As positive experience gains in CDI, further efforts in a number of other diseases (>30 listed in Table 1 of article) with altered microbiome will be explored.  Thus far, FMT has been used in autism, fibromyalgia, metabolic syndrome, multiple sclerosis, obesity, and even parkinson’s disease.

Hippocrates stated “All disease begins in the gut.”  Given the diversity of diseases in which FMT is being examined, this sentiment may be close to the truth.

Related blog entries:

Bone health in pediatrics

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Due to the survival of chronically ill children, exposure to skeletal toxic treatments, and wider availability of bone health measurement technology, osteoporosis in pediatrics has become a widespread problem.  A useful concise review is available (J Pediatr 2012; 161: 983-88).

One of the biggest problems is the limited pediatric evidence on which to base treatment decisions.

Specific points regarding osteoporosis and bone health:

  1. Bone accretion: most of one’s bone mass is reached by late adolescence or early adulthood
  2. Frequency of bone fractures: in the general population, 1/2 of boys and 1/3rd of girls have sustained a fracture by 16 years of age.  Thus, bone pathology should be suspected in those with unusual fractures.
  3. Pathological fractures: “meaningful” history of fracture history includes a lower extremity long bone fracture, 2 or more upper extremity long bone fractures and/or vertebral compression fracture.
  4. Testing: due to cost and precision, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) remains most widely used measurement tool. However, quantitative computed tomography (QCT) has some advantages.  It is less biased by bone size and directing generates a measurement of volumetric bone mineral density.
  5. Primary osteoporosis: osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis (IJO), and osteoporosis-pseudoglioma syndrome (related to loss of function in low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 [LRP5]).
  6. Secondary osteoporosis: neuromuscular diseases, malabsorption syndromes, medication-induced (glucocorticoids, diuretics), chemotherapy, and radiation treatments.
  7. 1st line treatment: adequate nutrition –especially adequate calcium and vitamin D and exercise (especially weight-bearing exercise).  It is noted that with cystic fibrosis patients there has been a better response to vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) than D2 (ergocalciferol); as a consequence, the CF Foundation recommends all CF patients receive vitamin D3.  With regard to weight-bearing exercise, the data are conflicting regarding its efficacy.
  8. 2nd line treatment: treat underlying disorder.  For example, with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), treatment of chronic inflammation with infliximab has been shown to improve markers of bone formation.  Inflammation in IBD has been shown to play a more important role than glucocorticoid dosing in terms of predicting bone health.
  9. 3rd line treatment ??? a) “Currently, teriparatide is the only available treatment with anabolic actions on bone.” But, a black box warning has cautioned against its use in pediatric patients   b) bisphosphonates: pamidronate, aleondronate, and zoledronic acid. A review of the small pediatric studies, primarily in OI patients, have shown some improvement in fractures, skeletal pain, and mobility.  Optimal dose, frequency, and duration remain unknown.
  10. Safety of bisphosphonates: potential problems include ‘acute phase reaction,’ hypocalcemia, musculoskeletal pain, gastrointestinal side effects, and many other adverse reactions. Atypical fractures and jaw osteonecrosis have been reported in adults.

Related blog posts:

Vitamin D, IBD, and Causality

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The importance of vitamin D has been noted in this blog previously (Common to be “D-ficient” ).  Now a study implicates vitamin D as a risk factor for developing inflammatory bowel disease, especially for Crohn’s disease (Gastroenterology 2012: 142: 482-89).  It is known that vitamin D influences innate immunity.  As such, it may play a role in the susceptibility to Crohn’s disease (CD) and Ulcerative colitis (UC).

This prospective study included 72,719 women (age 40-73) enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study.  Research subjects completed an assessment of diet and lifestyle along with 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] levels.  The 25(OH)D levels were predicted; this prediction was based on a validated model which included vitamin D intake, sun exposure, race, and body mass index (J Natl Cancer Inst 2006; 98: 451-9).  This model was validated against directly measured 25(OH)D levels.

During nearly 1.5 million person-years of followup, 122 incident cases of CD and 123 cases of UC occurred.  The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the highest quartile of 25(OH)D was 0.54 for CD and 0.65 for UC compared to the lowest quartile.  Compared with a level less than 20, the highest quartile HR was 0.38 for CD and 0.57 for UC.

In addition, the authors identified a significant inverse association between dietary supplemental vitamin D and UC; an insignificant reduction in CD risk was noted with dietary intake.  Although it is difficult to determine causality, these data convincingly show that ‘healthy’ levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower risk of IBD.

Common to be “D-ficient”

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Many of the children that a pediatric gastroenterologist sees are at risk for Vitamin D deficiency, including children with inflammatory bowel disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, and liver diseases.  In addition, vitamin D deficiency is widespread: in U.S. 50% of children aged 1-5 years and 70% 6-11 years are vitamin D deficient or insufficient. A thorough review on this “D-lightful” vitamin was in a recent JPEN (JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2012; 9S-19S).

History: In 1822 Sniadecki recognized children in urban but not rural Poland developed rickets. He postulated the effects of the sun as the reason for rickets; his idea was dismissed.  In 1920s, the concept of irradiating milk to prevent rickets emerged. In 1950s, outbreak of hypercalcemia in infants in Great Britain was thought to be related to vitamin D fortification and curtailed this practice in Europe.  However, these cases were likely due to Williams syndrome.

Sources of vitamin D: oily fish (salmon), cod liver oil, some mushrooms, egg yolk, & sunlight. Exposure of an adult in a bathing suit to one minimal erythemal dose (MED) is equivalent to ingesting 20,000 IUs of Vitamin D. (The minimal dose that induces any visible reddening at that point is defined as one MED.)

Effect of sunscreen: A sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 absorbs approximately 98% of solar ultaviolet radiation & thus lowers vitamin D production by 98%.

Ethnicity: Melanin is an effective SPF.  A person of african-american descent, on average, has an SPF of 15, which reduces vitamin D production by 90%.

Age: Aging decreases 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin.  Due to this, the elderly produce much less vitamin D.  For example, a 70 year old has a 75% reduction compared to a 20 year old.

Forms of vitamin D:  25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OH-D) is the major circulating form of vitamin D & physicians measure 25OH-D. 25OH-D is metabolized in kidney to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25OH-D), also called calcitriol.  This is the most biologically-active and is responsible for increasing intestinal calcium absorption and mobilizing calcium from bone.  However, 1,25OH-D provides no information vitamin D deficiency; it can be elevated or normal in deficiency states.

  • Cholecalciferol (vitamin D-3) is formed in the skin from 5-dihydrotachysterol.
  • Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D-2) is the form in Drisdol (8000 IU/mL) & Ergocalciferol Capsules (1.25 mg =50,000 USP Units)

Vitamin D deficiency:  The exact numbers are debated.  The institute of medicine (IOM) has considered individuals deficient if 25OH-D is <20 ng/mL.  The Endocrine Society and the author suggest vitamin D deficiency as <20 ng/mL & insufficiency as <30 ng/mL.  The author recommends ideal levels between 40-60 ng/mL.

Consequences of deficiency:

Osteoporosis, Osteopenia, Rickets (see references below): Bone weakening occurs due to loss of phosphorus from the kidneys.  Vitamin D deficiency lowers accrual of calcium in skeleton and leads to osteoporosis, osteopenia, and rickets. Imaging for rickets: the best single radiographic view for infants and children younger than 3 years is an anterior view of the knee that reveals the metaphyseal end and epiphysis of the femur and tibia. This site is best because growth is most rapid in this location, thus the changes are accentuated.

Nonskeletal consequences: vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk for preeclampsia, URIs, asthma, diabetes (type 1), multiple sclerosis, hypertension, and schizophrenia.

Treatment:

  • Infants who are breastfed should be receiving supplemental vitamin D, 400 IU/day.
  • Adults/children (>1 year) RDA 600 IU/day –mostly from diet per IOM. Yet author states, “it is unrealistic to believe that diet alone can ….provide this requirement.”
  • In vitamin D deficient patients: (initial treatment) 2000 IU/day or 50,000 IU/week for 6 weeks.
Toxicity from vitamin D (from NEJM 2010; 364: 248-254.): “Toxicity from vitamin D supplementation is rare and consists principally of acute hypercalcemia, which usually results from doses that exceed 10,000 IU per day; associated serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are well above 150 ng per milliliter (375 nmol per liter). The tolerable upper level of daily vitamin D intake recently set by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) is 4000 IU.”

Additional references:

  • -Pediatrics 2008; 122: 398. Should give 400 IU/day to breastfed babies. Consequences of Vit D deficiency: increased risk for DM, multiple sclerosis, cancer (breast, prostate,colon), rickets, and schizophrenia. Article lists vit D content of foods (high in cod liver oil, shrimp, fortified milk, many fish). Severe deficiency when < 5ng/mL, deficient if < 15 ng/mL; probably should be >32 ng/mL. Causes of vit D deficiency: decreased synthesis (due to lack of sun -skin pigmentation, sunscreen/clothing, geography, clouds), decreased intake, decreased maternal stores & breastfeeding, malabsorption (eg celiac, CF, EHBA, cholestasis), increased degradation; treatment of rickets: double-dose of vitamin d (~1000 IU/day for babies & 5000 for older kids) x 3-4 months along with calcium (30-75/mg/kg/day). Follow Ca/phos/alk phos monthly. Alternatively, give ~100,000 units over 1-5 days.
  • -JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2011;35:308-316-Results: The study included 504 IBD patients (403 Crohn’s disease [CD] and 101 ulcerative colitis [UC]) who had a mean disease duration of 15.5 years in CD patients and 10.9 years in UC patients; 49.8% were vitamin D deficient, with 10.9% having severe deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with lower HRQOL (regression coefficient –2.21, 95% confidence interval [CI], –4.10 to –0.33) in CD but not UC (regression coefficient 0.41, 95% CI, –2.91 to 3.73). Vitamin D deficiency was also associated with increased disease activity in CD (regression coefficient 1.07, 95% CI, 0.43 to 1.71). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is common in IBD and is independently associated with lower HRQOL and greater disease activity in CD. There is a need for prospective studies to assess this correlation and examine the impact of vitamin D supplementation on disease course.
  • -JPGN 2011;53: 361. similar prevalence of low Vitamin D as general population –58% with less than 32.
  • -JPGN 2011; 53: 11. Guidelines for bone disease with inflammatory bowel disease.
  • -Pediatrics 2010; 125: 633. Increasing Vit D deficiency noted in minority children. n=290. 22% w levels <20, 74% <30.
  • -Hepatology 2011; 53: 1118. Good vitamin D levels are another favorable predictive factor in antiviral response to Hep C along with IL28B.
  • -NEJM 2010; 364: 248-254. Vitamin D insufficiency. Levels between 20-30 may be OK -not enough evidence to determine conclusively whether this level is detrimental
  • -J Pediatr 2010; 156: 948. High rate among african americans with asthma, 86%. n=63.
  • -Pediatrics 2009; 124:e362. n=6275. 9% of pediatric patients vit D deficient & 61% were insufficient.
  • -Pediatrics 2009; 124:e371. n=3577. low 25OH-D levels inversely assoc with SBP/metabolic syndrome.
  • -NEJM 2009; 360: 398. case report of rickets
  • -J Pediatr 2003; 143: 422 & 434
  • -Pediatrics 2003; 111: 908. 200 IU Vit D recommended for all breastfed infants.
  • -J Pediatr 2000;137: 153 & 143.. Nutritional rickets–primarily in blacks; rec vitamin D 400 IU per day.

Can I go?

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How safe is it for IBD patients to travel?  A retrospective study from adult patients with IBD (n=222) compared with controls (n=224) indicates that the risk of travel for IBD patients is only a little more than the general population (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2012; 10: 160-65).

IBD patients with an average age of 37 years had infections during 15% of trips compared with 11% for controls.  92% of infections were due to enteric disease. However, this increased risk was identified in travel to industrialized countries not to developing countries.  This likely indicates that much of the increase is due to IBD flares rather than increased susceptibility to infections.  Nearly half of patients in this study were receiving immunosuppression: immunomodulators 29%, biologics 5%, dual therapy 6%, or corticosteroids 4%.  Not surprisingly, patients with increased IBD flares (OR 1.9) and IBD-related hospitalizations (OR 3.5) represent a group with higher risk for illness.  Most illnesses were mild & self-resolving in a few days.  Only five IBD patients required hospitalization for the following: dehydration, perianal abscess, malaria, flare, & small bowel obstruction).

Additional references:

  • -Clin Gastro & Hep 2010; 8: 490. Review of traveler’s diarrhea. Recs pepto if emesis, rifaximin or cipro or azithromycin if watery diarrhea, azithromycin if bloody diarrhea
  • -Clin Gastro & Hep 2007; 5: 451. Use of rifaximin (200mg tid)-loperamide provided rapid improvement.
  • -NEJM 2006; 354; 119. Traveler’s diarrhea.
  • -NEJM 2002; 347: 505.  Illness after travel.
  • -www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm

Eat your veggies…if you don’t want to get sick

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Maybe your mother was right –you should eat your vegetables!   For a long time, it has been known that dietary changes can be used to treat Crohn’s disease.  The specifics about what type of diet and the reasons for how diet promotes a healthy gastrointestinal tract are being unraveled.  A person’s diet affects their microbiome; and, a number of recent articles have highlighted the microbiome in both functional and nonfunctional disorders (see below).

An even more fascinating article is in last week’s New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM 2012; 366: 181).  This article discusses two publications which show how certain dietary components interact with intestinal immune receptors.

  • Kiss EA et al. Science 2011 October 27 (Epub ahead of print).
  • Li Y et al. Cell 2011; 147: 629-40.

This NEJM article implicates a typical ‘Western’ diet as a contributor to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).  However, a diet high in vegetables may prevent or reduce inflammation.  One mechanism whereby vegetables affect the GI tract is through the AhR (aryl hydrocarbon) receptor.  Some vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage, and brussel sprouts, are natural ligands for this receptor.  A mouse model has shown that AhR deficiency “results in increased epithelial vulnerability, immune activation, and altered composition of the microbiota.”  In addition, AhR is down-regulated in the intestinal tissue of persons with IBD.  AhR ligands are associated with increased interleukin-22 which promotes intestinal integrity.

Additional work regarding the optimal diet are ongoing.  There has been an interest in a ‘carbohydrate specific diet.’  This year’s NASPGHAN meeting (abstract #48)  presented data on this diet from a retrospective study.  This poster described five patients on monotherapy (diet alone) and at 6 months –good results in four patients (80%).  A few prospective studies are underway; in fact, a prospective study with patients from our office will be presented at this year’s DDW.  Initial results look promising (personal communication from lead investigator, Stan Cohen).

Additional references:

  • -Gastroenterology 2010; 139: 1816, 1844.  Microbiome & affect on IBD vs mucosal homeostasis.
  • -J Pediatr 2010; 157: 240.  Microbiota in pediatric IBD -increased E coli and decreased F praunsitzil in IBD pts.
  • -Gastro 2011; 141: 28, 208.  GM-CSF receptor (CD116) defective expression & function in 85% of IBD pts. n=52.
  • -Scand J Gastro 2001; 36: 383-8.  Elemental & polymeric diets successful in maintaining remission in ~43% of adults with complete steroid withdrawal.
  • -Clin Gastro & Hepatology 2006; 4: 744.  10 weeks of exclusive modulen (along with clears) had 79% response rate (n=37).  Better histologic response than steroids.
  • -J Pediatr 2000; 136: 285. Nutritional treatment w polymeric diet is effective w/in 8 weeks in 32/37.
  • -JPGN 2000; 31: 3 & 8.  EN about as effective as steroids for primary Rx.
  • -Can J Gastroenterol 1998; 12(8):544-49. Patients, diets and preferences in
    a pediatric population with Crohn’s disease.
  • -Gastroenterology 1988; 94:603-610. Chronic intermittent elemental diet improves growth failure in  children with Crohn’s disease.
  • -JPGN 1989; 8:8-12. Nutritional support for pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
  • -J Pediatr 2000; 136: 285-91. The role of nutrition in treating pediatric Crohn’s disease in the new millennium.