Prediction of long-term remission in patients following discontinuation of anti-TNF therapy in ulcerative colitis - a 10 year follow up study

Seventy-five patients with moderate to severe UC treated to remission with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were included in the study. The patients were categorized as either “Remission” or “Relapse”. The “Relapse” group were divided into subgroups determined by the highest treatment level needed to obtain remission the last 3 years of observation: non-biological therapy, biological therapy or colectomy. Remission were divided in LTR + immunomodulating drugs (LTR + imids) and Long-term remission without any treatment other than 5ASA (LTR). The LTR group were defined as >3 years in remission and no medication except 5-ASA. Analyses of mucosal gene expression by real-time PCR were performed.