Effectiveness and Safety of Immunomodulators With Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy in Crohn's Disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

The benefit of continuing immunomodulators when "stepping up" to anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy for Crohn's disease (CD) is uncertain. This study assessed the effectiveness and safety of immunomodulators with anti-TNF therapy in CD.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of new users of anti-TNF therapy for CD in Medicare. Users of anti-TNF combination therapy with immunomodulators were matched to up to 3 users of anti-TNF monotherapy via propensity score and compared by using 3 metrics of effectiveness-surgery, hospitalization, and discontinuation of anti-TNF therapy or surgery-and 2 metrics of safety-serious infection and non-Candida opportunistic infection. Cox regression was used for all analyses.

Results

Among new users

SUBMITTER: Osterman MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4475667 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature