P576 Ustekinumab levels correlate with induction fecal calprotectin drop-slope and discriminate the need for intensification at week 52 in Crohn's Disease patients.

Mateos, B.(1);Sáez-González, E.(2);Iborra, M.(2);Moret, I.(1);Cañada, A.(3);Tortosa, L.(1);Bastida, G.(2);Aguas, M.(2);Cerrillo, E.(2);Nos, P.(2);Beltrán, B.(2);

(1)Health Research Institute La Fe, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Valencia, Spain;(2)La Fe Hospital, Gastroenterology, Valencia, Spain;(3)Health Research Institute La Fe, Biostatistics, Valencia, Spain

Background

Ustekinumab (UST) intensification during Crohn’s Disease (CD) treatment is becoming common in clinical practice. Little is known about early intensification maintenance regimens and their drug levels utility in discriminating CD-response and the need for further intensification. We aim to analyze UST levels' evolution in an intensified maintenance regimen, their capacity to discriminate response according to inflammatory parameters and indicate the need for further intensification.

Methods

This is a retrospective study with 43 moderate/severe active CD patients (Harvey-Bradshaw Index [HBI] ≥4 and Fecal Calprotectin [FC] >250 µg/g) who received UST induction treatment (induction dose of 6mg/kg IV, plus dose of 90mg SC at week 8). Patients received maintenance treatment (90mg SC/8 weeks) and were followed for 52 weeks. They were classified according to the response obtained at the first year in responders (R), HBI <3 and FC <200µg/g; non-responders (NR), HBI ≥4 and FC >250µg/g; and intensification group (IG), partially responders that needed UST intensification to every 4 weeks. HBI, FC, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and UST levels data were collected at baseline (w0), week 8 (w8), week 16 (w16), and 52 weeks (w52) of maintenance. IG was followed 12-26 weeks after intensification (aI).

Results

Half of the patients (48.8%) were male. Most of them (97.7%) have received previous anti-TNF-α treatment (53.49% ≥2 anti-TNF-α). Patients' median age at the moment of starting UST was 51 (37.5, 58.5) years. Median disease duration was 11 (7.5, 23) years. Location of disease was ileal in 30% of patients and ileocolic in 53%. One-third of patients suffered perianal disease, and 41 % were smokers. The only demographic factor associated with non-response was ileocolic location. 

Table 1 shows the evolution of inflammatory parameters and UST levels according to the response. A Pearson correlation (r=0.62) between higher FC drop (baseline-w16) and higher drug levels at w16 was observed. The evolution of biological markers discriminates NR during induction; however, neither biological markers nor UST level can distinguish between R and those who will need intensification. R shows higher UST levels at w52 compared to IG. IG showed a significant increase of UST levels (mean of 5.39 points) and a substantial drop of FC and HBI (mean of 115.62 and 2.27 points, respectively) after intensification. Those patients reported clinical improvement; however, they could not reach a FC <250µg/g, which could need a more extended period to decrease.

Conclusion

FC drop-slope is associated with higher levels of UST at the end of induction. UST levels at w52 are useful for discriminating patients who will benefit from UST intensification every 4 weeks.