IBD: Significant proportion of patients remain in remission after anti-TNF discontinuation

Key clinical point: A significant proportion of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remain in remission after discontinuation of antitumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF) post clinical remission.

Major finding: After a median follow-up of 34 months, incidence rate of relapse was 12% per patient-year (95% confidence interval [CI], 11-14) and the cumulative incidence of relapse was 50% (95% CI, 47-53) with 19%, 31%, 38%, 44%, and 48% at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years of follow-up.

Study details: Data come from an extension of the EVODIS study that included 1,055 patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis who discontinued anti-TNF therapy after achieving clinical remission.

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Disclosures: The study did not receive any funding. Some of the authors reported serving as a speaker, consultant, advisory member, and receiving research and/or education funding from multiple sources.

Source: Casanova MJ et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2021 May 7. doi: 10.1111/apt.16361.