Medicine (RMH) - Research Publications
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ItemExamining maintenance care following infliximab salvage therapy for acute severe ulcerative colitis(WILEY, 2018-01)BACKGROUND AND AIM: Data supporting the optimal maintenance drug therapy and strategy to monitor ongoing response following successful infliximab (IFX) induction, for acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC), are limited. We aimed to evaluate maintenance and monitoring strategies employed in patients post-IFX induction therapy. METHODS: Patients in six Australian tertiary centers treated with IFX for steroid-refractory ASUC between April 2014 and May 2015 were identified via hospital IBD and pharmacy databases. Patients were followed up for 1 year with clinical data over 12 months recorded. Analysis was limited to patient outcomes beyond 3 months. RESULTS: Forty one patients were identified. Five of the 41 (12%) patients underwent colectomy within 3 months, and one patient was lost to follow-up. Six of 35 (17%) of the remaining patients progressed to colectomy by 12 months. Maintenance therapy: Patients maintained on thiopurine monotherapy (14/35) versus IFX/thiopurine therapy (15/35) were followed up. Two of 15 (13%) patients who received combination maintenance therapy underwent a colectomy at 12 months, compared with 1/14 (7%) patients receiving thiopurine monotherapy (P = 0.610). Monitoring during maintenance: Post-discharge, thiopurine metabolites were monitored in 15/27 (56%); fecal calprotectin in 11/32 (34%); and serum IFX levels in 4/20 (20%). Twenty of 32 (63%) patients had an endoscopic evaluation after IFX salvage with median time to first endoscopy of 109 days (interquartile range 113-230). CONCLUSION: Following IFX induction therapy for ASUC, the uptake of maintenance therapy in this cohort and strategies to monitor ongoing response were variable. These data suggest that the optimal maintenance and monitoring strategy post-IFX salvage therapy remains to be defined.
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ItemOutcomes of community-based hepatitis C treatment by general practitioners and nurses in Australia through remote specialist consultation(WILEY, 2021-11)BACKGROUND: A unique model of care was adopted in Australia following introduction of universal subsidised direct-acting antiviral (DAA) access in 2016 in order to encourage rapid scale-up of treatment. Community-based medical practitioners and integrated hepatitis nurses initiated DAA treatment with remote hepatitis specialist approval of the planned treatment without physical review. AIMS: To evaluate outcomes of community-based treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) through this remote consultation process in the first 12 months of this model of care. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing community-based HCV treatment from general practitioners and integrated hepatitis nurse consultants through the remote consultation model in three state jurisdictions in Australia from 1 March 2016 to 28 February 2017. RESULTS: Sustained virological response at 12 weeks (SVR12) was confirmed in 383 (65.1%) of 588 subjects intended for treatment with a median follow-up time of 12 months (interquartile range 9-14 months). The SVR12 test was not performed in 159 (27.0%) of 588 and 307 (52.2%) of 588 did not have liver biochemistry rechecked following treatment. Subjects who completed follow up exhibited high SVR12 rates (383/392; 97.7%). Nurse-led treatment was associated with higher confirmation of SVR12 (73.7% vs 62.4%; P = 0.01) and liver biochemistry testing post treatment (57.5% vs 45.0%; P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Community-based management of HCV through remote specialist consultation may be an effective model of care. Failure to check SVR12, recheck liver biochemistry and appropriate surveillance in patients with cirrhosis may emerge as significant issues requiring further support, education and refinement of the model to maximise effectiveness of future elimination efforts.