1. CHRONIC CONDITIONS
OF THE BOWEL
L I B B Y D A U G H E R T Y
P H A R M . D . C A N D I D A T E , C L A S S O F 2 0 1 7
A P P E 3 – A M B U L A T O R Y C A R E – E N C O M P A S S R X
A U G U S T 1 0 , 2 0 1 6
2. OVERVIEW
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
– IBS with Diarrhea (IBS-D)
– IBS with Constipation (IBS-C)
– Mixed IBS (IBS-M)
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
– Ulcerative Colitis (UC)
– Crohn’s Disease (CD)
• Most prevalent in developed countries,
especially in the northern hemisphere.
– North America
– Northern Europe
– Great Britain
• Incidence is increasing worldwide
• Women prone to IBS and CD
• Men prone to UC
• Older age at onset of symptoms is
associated with better outcomes
4. CLINICAL PRESENTATION
• Gastrointestinal syndrome characterized by:
– Chronic abdominal pain
• Not nocturnal
• Not progressive
– Altered bowel habits
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
– In the absence of any organic cause
• Infection
• Celiac disease
• Colorectal cancer
• Inflammatory disease
• Caused by:
– Infectious gastroenteritis
• The only proven cause of IBS
• Food poisoning leads to chronic IBS in 10%
of patients
• Other Possible Causes:
– Bacterial overgrowth
• 60% of IBS-D patients have excessive
enterobacteracea in their small intestines
– Food sensitivity
– Genetics
5. DIAGNOSIS
• The Manning Criteria
– Chronic or recurrent abdominal pain for
at least 6 months
– Two or more of the following:
• Abdominal pain relieved with defecation
• Abdominal pain associated with more
frequent stools
• Abdominal pain associated with looser
stools
• Abdominal distension
• Feeling of incomplete evacuation after
defecation
• Mucus in stools
• Rome IV Diagnostic Criteria
– Recurrent abdominal pain for at least 1
day per week in the last 3 months
– Two or more of the following:
• Related to defecation
• Associated with a change in frequency of
stool
• Associated with a change in
form/appearance of stool
– For at least 6 months
7. XIFAXAN (RIFAXIMIN) FOR IBS-D
• Bacteriostatic antibiotic: Inhibits bacterial RNA
synthesis by binding to bacterial RNA
polymerase
• Absorption based on hepatic function
– Healthy liver = low systemic absorption
• 550mg TID x 14 Days
– Provides 6 to 24 weeks of symptomatic relief
• 50% abdominal pain
• 70% diarrhea
– Average relief = 10 weeks
– May repeat two times if symptoms recur
• Common side effects
– Headache
– Dizziness
– Fatigue
• Serious side effects:
– Hypersensitivity reaction
9. ULCERATIVE COLITIS
CLINICAL PRESENTATION
• Diarrhea that lasts for weeks to months
(often bloody)
• Colicky abdominal pain
• Urgency
• Tenesmus
• Incontinence
• Systemic symptoms
– Fatigue
– Weight loss
• Progressive/gradual onset
• Intermittent exacerbations (“flare-ups”)
alternating with periods of symptomatic
remission
• 67% of patients have at least one relapse
10 years after initial diagnosis
• Complications include severe bleeding,
toxic megacolon, perforation, strictures,
dysplasia, and colorectal cancer
• 20-30% of patients will eventually
require a colectomy for complications or
intractable disease
10. U L C E R A T I V E C O L I T I S
D I A G N O S I S
Endoscopy
Loss of vascular markings (haustra)
Pseudopolyps
Ulceration, often with gross bleeding
Inflammation limited to rectum and colon
Biopsy
Crypt abscesses/distortion
Imaging
Barium enema
MRI
CT
11. CROHN’S DISEASE
CLINICAL PRESENTATION
• More variable than UC
• Prolonged diarrhea
• With or without bleeding
• Abdominal pain
• Systemic symptoms
– Fatigue
– Weight loss
• Secondary symptoms
– Fistulas
– Abscesses
– Perianal disease
– Malabsorption
• Progressive/gradual onset
• Intermittent exacerbations (“flare-ups”)
alternating with periods of symptomatic
remission
• 10-20% of patients experience prolonged
remission after initial presentation
• 13% have a relapse-free course
• 20% have annual relapses
• 67% have a combination of years in relapse and
years in remission
• <5% have continuous active disease
• Many patients ultimately require surgical
intervention
12. C R O H N ’ S D I S E A S E
D I A G N O S I S
Endoscopy
Polypoid mucosal changes that give a
“cobblestone” appearance
Skip areas
Fissures
Can involve the entire GI tract and usually
involves multiple sites
Biopsy
Focal ulcerations
Acute and chronic inflammation
Imaging
Most useful for upper GI
Serologic markers
13. TREATMENT
Nutritional Support
Elimination of food
that exacerbates
symptoms
Enteral
supplementation
Probiotics
Aminosalicylates
Sulfasalazine
Mesalamine
Corticosteroids
Prednisone
Prednisolone
Budesonide
Hydrocortisone
Methylprednisolone
Immunomodulators
6-mercaptopurine
(6-MP)
Azathioprine
Methotrexate
Cyclosporine
Biologics
Tumor Necrosis Factor
(TNF- α) Inhibitors
Selective Adhesion-
Molecule Inhibitors
Surgery
Fistula repair
Resection
Total Colectomy
14. U L C E R A T I V E
C O L I T I S
Possible to achieve remission in
mild/moderate disease with just
aminosalicylates and/or
steroids.
Topical aminosalicylates are
more effective than oral ones.
Steroids are particularly
effective at relieving tenesmus,
but less effective than ASAs for
other.
Systemic steroids are used
regardless of disease location.
Biologics are only used after all
other therapies have failed.
15. C R O H N ’ S D I S E A S E
Aminosalisylates have not been
shown to be efficacious in CD but
are still often used as first-line
therapy.
Steroids are chosen according to
location of disease.
Immunomodulators cannot
induce remission, but they can
maintain steroid-induced
remission.
Combination therapy of biologics
and immunomodulators has been
shown to be more efficacious than
either agent alone, but this
regimen may increase the chance
of serious side effects like
lymphomas.
16. BIOLOGICS
Drug Class Route UC CD
Remicade (Infliximab) TNF-α Inhibitors IV Infusion X X
Humira (Adalimumab) SQ Injection X X
Cimzia (Certolizumab
pegol)
SQ Injection X
Simponi (Golimumab) SQ Injection X
Entyvio (Vedolizumab) Selective Adhesion-
Molecule Inhibitors
IV Infusion X X
Tysabri (Natalizumab) IV Infusion X
17. • 5mg/kg at 0, 2, and 6
weeks
• 5mg/kg every 8 weeks
• 160mg on Day 1
• 80mg every 2 weeks
• 400mg at 0, 2, and 4
weeks
• 400mg every 4 weeks
• CD only
• 200mg on Day 1
• 100mg on Day 15
• 100mg every 4 weeks
• UC only
TNF-α INHIBITORS
• Reduce activity of TNF-α to decrease
inflammation
• Common Side Effects
– Infusion/Injection site reactions
– Predisposition to infections
• Serious Side Effects
– Lymphoma (Black Box Warning)
– Bone marrow suppression
– Heart failure exacerbation
– Reactivation of infections
• Avoid in patients with active or recurrent
infections
• Contraindicated in patients with NYHA class
III/IV Heart Failure
18. SELECTIVE ADHESION-MOLECULE
INHIBITORS
• Anti alpha-4 integrin antibodies
• Inhibit leukocyte adhesion to reduce
inflammation
• Indicated for patients unresponsive to
conventional treatment and TNF-α inhibitors
• Common Side Effects
– Infusion reactions
– Headache
– Arthralgia
• Serious Side Effects
– Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
(Black Box Warning)
– Hepatotoxicity
– Depression
• 300mg over 30 minutes at 0, 2, 6 weeks
• 300mg every 8 weeks
• Discontinue after 14 weeks if no evidence of
therapeutic benefit
• 300mg over 1 hour every 4 weeks
• Discontinue after 12 weeks if no evidence of
therapeutic benefit
• CD only
19. REFERENCES
• A. W. (2016, June 16). Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome in adults (N. J.
Talley, Ed.). Retrieved August 09, 2016, from UpToDate.
• About Xifaxan. (n.d.). Retrieved August 09, 2016, from https://www.xifaxan.com/About-Xifaxan
• Fabel, P. H., & Shealy, K. M. (2014). Diarrhea, Constipation, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In J. T. DiPiro
(Author), Pharmacotherapy: A pathophysiologic approach. New York; Madrid: McGraw-Hill Education.
• Hemstreet, B. A. (2014). Inflammatory Bowel Disease. In J. T. DiPiro (Author), Pharmacotherapy: A
pathophysiologic approach. New York; Madrid: McGraw-Hill Education.
• Peppercorn, M. A., & Kane, S. V. (2015, December 17). Clinical manifestations, diagnosis and prognosis
of Crohn disease in adults (P. R., Ed.). Retrieved August 09, 2016, from UpToDate.
• Peppercorn, M. A., & Kane, S. V. (2015, December 21). Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and prognosis
of ulcerative colitis in adults (P. Rutgeerts, Ed.). Retrieved August 9, 2016, from UpToDate.
IBS presents as either diarrhea- or constipation-predominant disease.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a group of chronic and inflammatory disorders that affect the intestines and the colon
IBD encompasses both Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC)
Chronic, uncontrolled inflammation of the intestinal mucosa is the hallmark of IBD
Manning = 1970’s, debatable predictive ability
Rome Criteria updated from III to IV in May 2016
Abdominal “discomfort” removed, now only “pain” qualifies
Threshold increased from 3 days/month to 1 day/week
+ Absence of alarm symptoms
Gas-producing foods
Beans, onions, celery, carrots, raisins, bananas, apricots, prunes, Brussel sprouts, wheat germ, pretzels, bagels, caffeine, alcohol
Fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharide and polyols – FODMAPs
Fructose, honey, apples, pears, mangoes, cherries, wheat
(Zelnorm) Tegaserod – pulled from US market due to
Weight loss d/t decreased appetite – pts feel better when they do not eat
Nutritional support is tricky because these patients are usually malnourished due to malabsorption and reduced appetites.
Supplemental enteral nutrition increases remission rates.
Probiotics have not been shown to be efficacious but they also do no harm.
Most patients with mild to moderate UC can be managed with oral/topical ASAs.
Treatment of UC and CD has traditionally used a “step-up” approach. Those drugs are much cheaper but also are less efficacious and have arguably more severe side effects.
“STEP-UP VERSUS TOP-DOWN THERAPY — There are two general approaches to the treatment of mild to moderate Crohn disease: step-up therapy and top-down therapy. Step-up therapy typically starts with medications that are less potent and (often) associated with fewer side effects. If those therapies are ineffective, more potent (and potentially more toxic) medications are used. Top-down therapy starts with more potent therapies, such as biologic therapy or immunomodulator therapy, relatively early in the course of the disease before patients become glucocorticoid dependent, and possibly even before they receive glucocorticoids.
The relative merits of these strategies have not been extensively studied. One of the largest controlled trials included a total of 133 patients with newly diagnosed Crohn disease who were randomly assigned to combined immunosuppression (with infliximab andazathioprine) or conventional management with glucocorticoids followed by azathioprine and infliximab as needed [4]. Significantly more patients in the initial immunosuppression (top-down) group were in clinical remission at 26 weeks (60 versus 36 percent) and at 52 weeks (62 verus 42 percent). Serious adverse events were seen in a similar proportion of both groups (31 versus 25 percent). Similarly, in a study of 508 moderate and severely ill patients with Crohn disease who had not previously received immunosuppressive or biologic agents, the combination of infliximab and azathioprine was more effective than either infliximab or azathioprine alone at inducing a glucocorticoid-free remission.”
TNF-α are contraindicated in NYHA class III/IV heart failure.
Remicade is preferred by the guidelines
Humira is indicated for patients who no longer respond to infliximab
Cimzia has higher response rates in patients with CR P> 10mg/L
Stelara currently indicated for Psoriatic arthritis and Plaque psoriasis.
Phase II trials for UC and CD indications completed.
Currently recruiting for Phase III trial for UC.