Methotrexate and Thioguanine Rescue Therapy for Conventional Thiopurine Failing Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Multi-center Database Study on Tolerability and Effectiveness

Berrie Meijer*, Chris J. J. Mulder, Gerd Bouma, Cyriel Y. Ponsioen, C. Janneke van der Woude, Andrea E. van der Meulen, Dion S. J. Wintjens, Gerard Dijkstra, Frank Hoentjen, Bas Oldenburg, Adriaan A. van Bodegraven, Nanne K. H. de Boer, Dutch Initiative Crohn and Colitis

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background: Patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC) failing conventional therapies are in need of rescue strategies. Due to the fact that accepted step-up therapy with biologicals is expensive and sometimes unavailable, alternative therapies are warranted. Methotrexate (MTX) and thioguanine (TG) have both been suggested as alternative maintenance strategies in conventional thiopurine failing UC patients. In this multicenter database study, we compared safety and effectiveness (drug-survival) of MTX and TG in UC patients. Methods: We collected data from the Parelsnoer database, a prospective Dutch national database consisting of inflammatory bowel disease patients from all university hospitals in The Netherlands. Additional data were collected from detailed chart review. Results: In total, 99 UC patients were included, of which 48 used TG, 43 used MTX, and 8 patients had a history of both TG and MTX use. In 12% of the patients, biological therapy had failed. Roughly 70% of the patients in both groups were able to continue therapy for over 1 year. Adverse events were noted in 33% of all the patients and were mainly elevated liver enzymes or gastrointestinal complaints. Twenty-eight patients (28%) continued therapy (15 TG, 13 MTX) without the need of escalation therapy (eg, corticosteroids, biologicals, or surgery). Drug survival curves of both drugs were comparable, just as the number of patients with sustained clinical benefit of therapy (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Both MTX and TG may be used and maintained as rescue therapy with sustained clinical benefit in one-third of the UC patients failing conventional therapies.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1558-1565
Number of pages8
JournalInflammatory Bowel Diseases
Volume24
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jul 2018

Keywords

  • thiopurines
  • rescue therapy
  • methotrexate
  • thioguanine
  • inflammatory bowel disease
  • ulcerative colitis
  • INFLAMMATORY-BOWEL-DISEASE
  • NODULAR REGENERATIVE HYPERPLASIA
  • CROHNS-DISEASE
  • MEDICAL-MANAGEMENT
  • INTERCEPT COHORTS
  • 6-THIOGUANINE
  • INFLIXIMAB
  • CONSENSUS
  • PREVALENCE
  • EFFICACY

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