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Travel to High Altitudes Tied to Crohn's, Colitis Flare-Ups
Posted 3 days ago by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, May 25 – People with inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and colitis, may be at increased risk for flare-ups when they fly or travel to high altitudes for skiing or mountain climbing, a new study suggests. This complications affected patients with either Crohn's disease (which typically involves the small intestine) or ulcerative colitis (which typically involves the large intestine and rectum), but the risk appears to be higher in those with Crohn's disease, the researchers found. The study included 103 patients who were seen at inflammatory bowel disease clinics in Switzerland. The 52 patients with flares and the 51 patients who were in remission were asked about their activities during the previous month. Overall, patients with flares had made many more frequent flights or trips to areas above 6,500 feet. The study was to be presented Monday at the ... Read more
Related support groups: Colitis, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Tropical Trip OK for Most With Crohn's, Colitis
Posted 27 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Jan. 27 – Among people with inflammatory bowel disease – a chronic intestinal disorder that commonly takes the form of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis – those who travel to developing nations or tropical locales do not have a greater risk of intestinal infections than other travelers, according to a new study. Researchers in Israel concluded that patients with inflammatory bowel disease who have not had symptoms for at least three months actually should be encouraged to travel. They noted, however, that compared with people who don't have the condition, inflammatory bowel disease patients have a greater risk for illness when visiting industrialized countries. "Inflammatory bowel disease patients are often advised to avoid travel, especially to the developing world. However, we found that the absolute risk of illness is small and most episodes were mild," the study's ... Read more
Related support groups: Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Less Common in Sunny States
Posted 12 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Jan. 12 – People who live in sunnier regions of the United States are less likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease, a new study says. The findings support previous European research and could lead to new types of treatment and preventive measures, the study authors said. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which can be extremely painful and require surgery. The causes of IBD remain largely unknown. In this study, researchers analyzed long-term data collected from 238,000 participants in the Nurses' Health Study I and the Nurses' Health Study II, which were launched in 1976 and 1989, respectively. None of the participants had inflammatory bowel disease at the start of the studies. Compared to participants who lived in northern areas of the United States, those living in southern areas were 52 percent less likely to develop ... Read more
Related support groups: Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
As Nations Develop, So May Bowel Disease
Posted 7 Jan 2012 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Jan. 6 – Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is becoming more common around the world, according to a new study. Researchers who analyzed data from all population-based studies about the incidence and/or prevalence of IBD found that the rate of new cases is increasing or stable in virtually every region of the world that has been studied. Canada and Europe had the highest number of cases, while Asia had a lower prevalence, the investigators found. IBD has been rare in developing nations, but incidence of the disease has increased as these countries become more industrialized, according to study lead author Dr. Gilaad Kaplan, of the University of Calgary, and colleagues. IBD includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn's involves inflammation and ulceration in the deep layers of the intestinal wall. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss and occasional ... Read more
Related support groups: Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Chronic Bowel Disease Drugs Linked to Skin Cancer Risk
Posted 23 Nov 2011 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Nov. 22 – Some patients with inflammatory bowel disease may be at increased risk for skin cancer due to their use of immunosuppressant drugs to treat the intestinal disorder, according to the results of two new studies. The studies, published in the November issue of the journal Gastroenterology, noted that immunosuppressants are commonly used to treat patients with inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. Currently, there are no specific recommendations for skin cancer screening in IBD patients. In one study, French researchers led by Dr. Laurent Peyrin-Biroulet, of University Hospital of Nancy, found that both past and present use of a widely used class of immunosuppressants called thiopurines significantly increased the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer in irritable bowel disease patients. "The increased risk of skin cancer that we found in our study was observed in all patients, ... Read more
Related support groups: Colitis, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease -- Maintenance, Crohn's Disease -- Acute, Ulcerative Colitis -- Active, Basal Cell Carcinoma, Ulcerative Colitis -- Maintenance, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Tied to Higher Risk of Post-Op Blood Clots
Posted 20 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, Oct. 20 – Researchers report that following surgery, people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at increased risk for blood clots known as deep vein thromboses and pulmonary embolisms. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a deep vein in the thigh or leg – it's best known as "economy-class syndrome," after cases that occurred in passengers on long-haul flights. DVTs can travel to the lungs and lead to dangerous clots there known as pulmonary embolisms (PE). "An increased risk of DVT and PE in patients with IBD has been evident for the past 75 years," co-authors Dr. Andrea Merrill of Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr. Frederick Millham of Newton-Wellesley Hospital, both in Boston, wrote in the study published in the Oct. 17 online edition of the journal Archives of Surgery. However, they added that "most work in this area has not looked specifically at ... Read more
Related support groups: Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
FDA Approves Remicade to Treat Ulcerative Colitis in Children Older than 6 Years
Posted 26 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Remicade (infliximab) to treat moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in children older than 6 years who have had inadequate response to conventional therapy. Remicade reduces signs and symptoms of UC and induces and maintains clinical remission in these patients. UC is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the lining of the large intestine (colon) and rectum. Symptoms of UC include abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, weight loss and fever. Between 50,000 and 100,000 children in the United States have IBD; of these, 40 percent have UC. "With the approval of Remicade, children with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis who have not had an adequate response to conventional treatment now have an FDA-approved treatment option,” said Donna Griebel, M.D., director of the Division of G ... Read more
Related support groups: Remicade, Ulcerative Colitis, Infliximab
Remicade Approved for Ulcerative Colitis in Children
Posted 26 Sep 2011 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Sept. 26 – Remicade (infliximab) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat moderate-to-severe active episodes of ulcerative colitis in children aged six and older who haven't responded to other therapies. UC, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, attacks the lining of the large intestine and rectum. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, loss of weight and fever. Some 40 percent of the 50,000 to 100,000 children in the United States with inflammatory bowel disease have UC, the FDA said in a news release. Remicade is a tumor necrosis factor blocker, which suppresses a bodily substance that causes inflammation and plays a role in so-called autoimmune diseases, in which the overactive immune system attacks the body itself. Remicade has been FDA approved to treat UC in adults and to fight other autoimmune diseases among adults and ... Read more
Related support groups: Remicade, Ulcerative Colitis
Lialda (Mesalamine) Now Approved in U.S. for Maintenance of Remission of Ulcerative Colitis
Posted 18 Jul 2011 by Drugs.com
Lialda has been indicated for the induction of remission in patients with active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis and is now also approved for the maintenance of remission of ulcerative colitis PHILADELPHIA, July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – Shire plc (LSE: SHP; NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Lialda® (mesalamine) Delayed Release Tablets for the maintenance of remission in patients with ulcerative colitis. This approval is based on results from a six-month study demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of Lialda in maintaining endoscopic remission in adult patients. This approval follows the previous indication of Lialda approved by the FDA in 2007 for the induction of remission in patients with active, mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. "At Shire, we strive to create ... Read more
Related support groups: Ulcerative Colitis, Lialda, Ulcerative Colitis -- Maintenance, Mesalamine
People With Bowel Disease at Higher Risk of Blood Clot in Lungs, Legs
Posted 22 Feb 2011 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, Feb. 22 – People with inflammatory bowel disease have double the risk of developing a potentially deadly blood clot (venous thromboembolism) in the legs or lungs as do people in the general public, a new study finds. Inflammatory bowel disease includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, both of which can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and other problems. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) – which includes deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and superior sagittal sinus thrombosis – affects about two in every 1,000 people a year in the United States and other developed nations. Researchers compared the number of new cases of VTE diagnosed between 1980 and 2007 in nearly 50,000 adults and children with IBD and more than 477,000 members of the general public. After they factored in known VTE risk factors such as a broken bone, cancer, surgery and ... Read more
Related support groups: Colitis, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease -- Maintenance, Crohn's Disease -- Acute, Ulcerative Colitis -- Active, Ulcerative Colitis -- Maintenance, Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Worm Therapy Shows Promise for Ulcerative Colitis
Posted 1 Dec 2010 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 1 – The case of a man who swallowed parasite eggs to treat his ulcerative colitis – and actually got better – sheds light on how "worm therapy" might help heal the gut, a new study suggests. "Our findings in this case report suggest that infection with the eggs of the T. trichiura roundworm can alleviate the symptoms of ulcerative colitis," said study leader P'ng Loke, an assistant professor in the department of medical parasitology at NYU Langone Medical Center. A human parasite, Trichuris trichiura infects the large intestine. The findings could also lead to new ways to treat the debilitating disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) currently treated with drugs that don't always work and can cause serious side effects, said Loke. The study findings are published in the Dec. 1 issue of Science Translational Medicine. Loke and his team followed a ... Read more
Related support groups: Ulcerative Colitis
Remission From Ulcerative Colitis More Likely After 50
Posted 5 Aug 2010 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, August 5 – People diagnosed with ulcerative colitis after age 50 are more likely to achieve symptom relief than people diagnosed at a younger age, even when they receive similar treatments, finds a new study. Ulcerative colitis, which affects about one million American adults, involves inflammation of the lining of the large intestine or colon. It often causes diarrhea, bloody stool, weight loss and fever. Severe cases may require surgery to remove the colon. The study included 295 patients treated at the inflammatory bowel disease clinics at the Washington University School of Medicine between 2001 and 2008. At the start, all patients were about equal in terms of the severity of their symptoms. After one year of treatment, remission occurred in 64 percent of those who were diagnosed after age 50, compared to 49 percent of those diagnosed at a younger age. Patients in ... Read more
Related support groups: Ulcerative Colitis
Drug May Help Colitis Patients Avoid Surgery
Posted 16 Jul 2010 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Oct. 2 – Treatment with the drug infliximab (Remicade) reduced the need for surgery in ulcerative colitis patients by almost half, a new study found. Ulcerative colitis causes chronic inflammation of the colon and often leads to surgical removal of the colon (colectomy). This study included 728 patients who received either an inactive placebo or infliximab for 46 weeks. After one year of follow-up, the researchers found that "treatment with infliximab reduced the need for colectomy by 41 percent compared to patients treated with placebo," lead author and Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Dr. William Sandborn, said in a Mayo Clinic news release. The study appears in the October issue of the journal Gastroenterology. "One of the most feared outcomes for ulcerative colitis patients is surgical removal of the colon. Our research hopes to provide other treatment solutions for patients ... Read more
Related support groups: Remicade, Ulcerative Colitis, Ulcerative Colitis -- Active, Ulcerative Colitis -- Maintenance, Infliximab
Drugs for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Might Increase Cancer Risk
Posted 16 Jul 2010 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, Oct. 19 – The use of thiopurine drugs to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases the risk of cancers related to viral infection, according to a new study. IBD includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Thiopurine drugs are used to suppress the immune system in order to maintain remission in IBD patients. For this study, French researchers analyzed data on 19,486 IBD patients (60 percent with Crohn's and 40 percent with ulcerative colitis or unclassified IBD) who were followed for a median of 35 months. At the start of the study, 30 percent of patients were taking thiopurines, 14 percent had discontinued them, and 56 percent had never received thiopurines. During the study, 23 patients developed malignant lymphoproliferative disorders (LD) – cancers that are associated with viral infection, particularly those linked to Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection. Of the ... Read more
Related support groups: Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease -- Maintenance, Imuran, Crohn's Disease -- Acute, Ulcerative Colitis -- Active, Ulcerative Colitis -- Maintenance, Azathioprine, Mercaptopurine, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Azasan, Purinethol, Thioguanine, Tabloid
New Clues for Treating Ulcerative Colitis
Posted 16 Jun 2010 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, June 16 – A chemical that may trigger remission in people with ulcerative colitis has been identified by Canadian researchers. The team at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, found that ulcerative colitis patients in long-term remission have elevated levels of prostaglandin D2. Previous research in rats found that this chemical plays an important role in healing and remission of the disease. "The levels of prostaglandin D2 were only elevated in those patients in long-term remission, and that suggests it is a key factor in preventing new episodes of ulcerative colitis," John Wallace, director of the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute at McMaster, said in a university news release. Wallace, a professor of medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, said the finding may help lead to a new treatment for ulcerative colitis and possibly to ... Read more
Related support groups: Ulcerative Colitis, Ulcerative Colitis -- Active, Ulcerative Colitis -- Maintenance
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