Background: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can have considerable effects on employment outcomes because of its disabling character. Goals: We aimed to investigate the impact of IBD in the workplace and to better understand the need for accommodations and adaptations. Study: Between November 2017 and March 2018, IBD patients were recruited from outpatient clinics in Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand. The survey assessed employment, the need for workplace accommodations and the difficulty arranging it, insurance, and disability using the item-reduced Inflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index for self-report (IBD-DI-SR). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression modeling. Results: One hundred twenty-three patients were included (response rate 64%), 112 of whom reported that they experienced symptoms while working (60% female, 71% Crohn’s disease, mean age 41.9 years). Ninety-one percent needed at least 1 workplace accommodation when symptoms were most severe. Almost half of the patients who needed an accommodation had difficulty arranging it. The most needed accommodations were time to go to medical appointments (71%) and easy access to a suitable toilet (71%). Being female, having less effective medication, and being distressed were associated with the need for 2 or more accommodations, difficulty in arranging accommodations, and not asking for needed accommodation. Conclusions: Many IBD patients need accommodations at work while symptomatic in order to overcome workplace disability, which can be difficult to arrange. Improved resources are needed to inform employees and employers about the disease, the possibilities for workplace accommodations, and practical strategies to request them.

Background Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) express a need for additional psychotherapy; however, psychological support is not incorporated in the routine care of persons with IBD. This systematic review aims to assess the effect of psychotherapy on quality of life (QoL). Methods A systematic search was conducted on October 7, 2019, using Embase, Medline (Ovid), PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Google Scholar to collect all types of clinical trials with psychotherapeutic interventions that measured QoL in patients with IBD aged ≥18 years. Quality of evidence was systematically assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. Results Out of 2560 articles, 31 studies (32 articles) were included with a total number of 2397 patients with active and inactive IBD. Of the 31 eligible studies, 11 reported a significant positive effect and 6 had ambiguous results regarding the impact of psychotherapeutic interventions on QoL. Treatment modalities differed in the reported studies and consisted of cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, stress management programs, mindfulness, hypnosis, or solution-focused therapy. All 4 studies focusing on patients with active disease reported a positive effect of psychotherapy. Trials applying cognitive-behavioral therapy reported the most consistent positive results. Conclusions Psychotherapeutic interventions can improve QoL in patients with IBD. More high-quality research is needed before psychological therapy may be implemented in daily IBD practice and to evaluate whether early psychological intervention after diagnosis will result in better coping strategies and QoL throughout life.

Background To learn from the crisis caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and be prepared for future pandemics, it is important to investigate the impact of this period on the wellbeing of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Aims To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and disease control of IBD patients during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in The Netherlands. Methods Between March 17 and July 1, 2020, patients aged 18 years and older with IBD from the Erasmus MC (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) were invited to complete online questionnaires at week 0, 2, 6 and 12. The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Control-8 (IBD-control-8) and the numeric rating scale on fatigue were used. The evolution of the different outcomes over time was measured using mixed models. Results Of 1151 invited patients, 851 patients (67% CD and 33% UC or IBD-U) participated in the study (response rate 74%). No relevant changes in total scores were found over time for the IBDQ (effect estimate 0.006, 95% CI [− 0.003 to 0.015]) and IBD-control-8 (effect estimate 0.004, 95% CI [0.998–1.011]). There was a slight, increasing trend in fatigue scores over time (effect estimate 0.011, 95% CI [0.004, 0.019]). Conclusions This first lock down due to the COVID-19 pandemic in The Netherlands did not impact on the HRQoL and disease control of patients with IBD. Up to date information may have contributed to a stable HRQoL in IBD patients even in an extreme period with restrictions and insecurities. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10620-021-07118-8.

Background-Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is important in optimizing use of biologics in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). However, the role of proactive TDM during remission remains uncertain.Methods-This retrospective study included patients receiving infliximab (IFX) therapy at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) or Erasmus University Medical Center (EMC). All eligible patients had completed induction phase of IFX and were in clinical and endoscopic remission. Our primary outcome was clinical relapse within 2 years after baseline. Multivariable regression models examined the association between infliximab trough levels during remission and relapse, need for IBD-related surgery or hospitalization.Results-Our study cohort included 110 patients with IBD (72 CD, 38 UC) on IFX maintenance therapy. In total 12 patients (10.9%) experienced relapse of disease over 2 years. The mean IFX trough level at baseline was 8.0 μg/mL (±8.6) and did not differ between the institutions. 49.1% of patients had levels < 5μg/mL and 2.7% had antibodies to infliximab at baseline. There was no difference in the mean IFX trough levels between patients who relapsed (7.5 μg/mL ± 3.7 μg/mL) over 24 months compared to those who did not (8.1 μg/mL ± 7.9 μg/mL, p=0.815). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, IFX trough levels at baseline were not associated with relapse of disease over 24 months (OR 1.01, 95%CI 0.93 -1.09, p=0.856).Terms of use and reuse: academic research for non-commercial purposes, see here for full terms. https://www.springer.com/aam terms-v1