A virtual clinic increases anti-TNF dose intensification success via a treat-to-target approach compared with standard outpatient care in Crohn’s disease
التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
العنوان:
A virtual clinic increases anti-TNF dose intensification success via a treat-to-target approach compared with standard outpatient care in Crohn’s disease
BACKGROUND Virtual clinics represent a novel model of care in inflammatory bowel disease. Their effectiveness in promoting high quality use of biologic therapy and facilitating a treat-to-target approach is unknown. AIM To evaluate clinical and process-driven outcomes in a virtual clinic compared to standard outpatient care amongst patients receiving intensified anti-TNF therapy for secondary loss of response. METHODS We performed a retrospective multi-centre, parallel, observational cohort study of Crohn's disease patients receiving intensified anti-TNF therapy for secondary loss of response. Objective assessments of disease activity and anti-TNF trough levels at secondary loss of response and during subsequent 6-month semesters, were compared longitudinally between virtual clinic and standard outpatient care cohorts. The primary endpoint was treatment success, with appropriateness of dose intensification, tight disease monitoring and treatment de-escalation representing secondary outcomes. RESULTS Of 149 patients with similar baseline characteristics, 69 were managed via a virtual clinic and 80 via standard outpatient care. There were higher rates of treatment success in the virtual clinic cohort (60.9 vs 35.0%, P