<b><i>Background and Aims:</i></b> The majority of patients treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy develop anti-drug antibodies (ADAs), which might result in loss of treatment efficacy. Strict guidelines on measuring trough levels (TLs) and ADA in clinical routine do not exist. To provide real-world data, we took advantage of our tertiary inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) center patient cohort and determined indicators for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and actual consequences in patient care. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We retrospectively collected clinical data of 104 IBD patients treated with infliximab or adalimumab in our IBD clinic. Patients with TL and ADA measurements between June 2015 and February 2018 were included. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The main reason for determining TL was increased clinical disease. Subtherapeutic TLs were found in 33 patients, therapeutic TLs in 33 patients, and supratherapeutic TLs in 38 patients. Adjustments in anti-TNF therapy occurred more frequently (<i>p</i> = 0.01) in patients with subtherapeutic TL (24 of 33 patients; 73%) as compared to patients with therapeutic and supratherapeutic TLs (26 of 71 patients; 37%). No correlation could be found between TL and disease activity (<i>p</i> = 0.16). Presence of ADA was found in 16 patients, correlated with the development of infusion reactions (OR: 10.6, RR: 5.4, CI: 2.9–38.6), and was associated with subtherapeutic TL in 15 patients (93.8%). Treatment adaptations were based on TL and/or ADA presence in 36 of 63 patients. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> TDM showed significant treatment adaptations in patients with subtherapeutic TL. Conversely, in patients with therapeutic and supratherapeutic TLs, reasons for adaptations were based on considerations other than TL, such as clinical disease activity. Further studies should focus on decision-making in patients presenting with supratherapeutic TL in remission.
Zusammenfassung. Die Lyme-Borreliose wird durch Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato hervorgerufen und ist eine Zecken-übertragene Infektion, die vor allem in der nördlichen Hemisphäre vorkommt. Die Infektion beginnt typischerweise mit einer lokalisierten Infektion, die sich als expandierende Hautläsion mit zentraler Aufhellung manifestiert, dem sogenannten Erythema migrans. Unbehandelt kann es zu einer frühen disseminierten Form führen, welche häufig zu einem Befall des ZNS und weniger häufig zu Karditis führt. Späte Infektionsmanifestationen sind typischerweise die Arthritis und ein charakteristischer Hautbefall, die Acrodermatitis atrophicans. Die chronologische Abfolge der Stadien ist jedoch nicht zwingend und auch isolierte «späte» Manifestationen können der Erstpräsentation der Infektion entsprechen. Mit der Ausnahme des Erythema migrans, welches eine Blickdiagnose und keine Serologie erfordert, basiert die Diagnose aller anderen Infektionsmanifestationen auf einer Kombination der typischen klinischen Präsentation und dem serologischen Nachweis einer Borrelien-Infektion. Alle Stadien der Borrelien Infektion sprechen gut auf Antibiotika an, allen voran beta-Lactam-Derivate und Tetracycline. In einer Minderheit der Patienten kann es zu persistierenden, postinfektiösen Syndromen kommen.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.