Objective To observe the value of transabdominal bowel ultrasound for monitoring therapeutic efficacy of vedolizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis.Methods Totally 47 ulcerative colitis patients with Mayo endoscopic score(MES)≥2 and treated with vedolizumab were retrospectively included.Transabdominal bowel ultrasound examinations were performed at baseline,at the end of induction therapy,also 3 and 6 months after maintenance therapy,while colonoscopy was performed at baseline and 6 months after maintenance therapy.According to colonoscopy results 6 months after maintenance therapy,the patients were divided into improved group(MES≤1 or MES reduction≥1,n=25)and non-improved group(n=22),and ultrasonic findings of sigmoid colon were compared between and within groups.Results At baseline,no significant difference of ultrasonic findings of sigmoid colon was observed between groups(all P＞0.05),whereas differences of bowel wall thickness at the end of induction therapy,of Limberg grade and abnormal perienteric lymph nodes 3 months after maintenance therapy,as well as bowel wall stratification 6 months after maintenance therapy were noticed between groups(all P＜0.05).Within improved group,compared with those in baseline,bowel wall thickness improved at all time points after the beginning of treatment,Limberg grade improved 3 and 6 months after maintenance therapy,while bowel wall stratification,abnormal perienteric lymph node and perienteric fat edema improved 6 months after maintenance therapy(all P＜0.05).Meanwhile,no significant change of ultrasonic findings of sigmoid colon was observed in non-improved group during the above periods(all P＞0.05).Conclusion Transabdominal bowel ultrasound could be used to accurately monitor the therapeutic efficacy of vedolizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis.

Objective To observe the value of transabdominal bowel ultrasound for monitoring therapeutic efficacy of vedolizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis.Methods Totally 47 ulcerative colitis patients with Mayo endoscopic score(MES)≥2 and treated with vedolizumab were retrospectively included.Transabdominal bowel ultrasound examinations were performed at baseline,at the end of induction therapy,also 3 and 6 months after maintenance therapy,while colonoscopy was performed at baseline and 6 months after maintenance therapy.According to colonoscopy results 6 months after maintenance therapy,the patients were divided into improved group(MES≤1 or MES reduction≥1,n=25)and non-improved group(n=22),and ultrasonic findings of sigmoid colon were compared between and within groups.Results At baseline,no significant difference of ultrasonic findings of sigmoid colon was observed between groups(all P＞0.05),whereas differences of bowel wall thickness at the end of induction therapy,of Limberg grade and abnormal perienteric lymph nodes 3 months after maintenance therapy,as well as bowel wall stratification 6 months after maintenance therapy were noticed between groups(all P＜0.05).Within improved group,compared with those in baseline,bowel wall thickness improved at all time points after the beginning of treatment,Limberg grade improved 3 and 6 months after maintenance therapy,while bowel wall stratification,abnormal perienteric lymph node and perienteric fat edema improved 6 months after maintenance therapy(all P＜0.05).Meanwhile,no significant change of ultrasonic findings of sigmoid colon was observed in non-improved group during the above periods(all P＞0.05).Conclusion Transabdominal bowel ultrasound could be used to accurately monitor the therapeutic efficacy of vedolizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis.

Objective:To observe the application value of transabdominal intestinal ultrasound in monitoring the efficacy of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy in Crohn′s disease patients with enteric fistulas.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 54 patients with Crohn′s disease complicated by enteric fistulas, who were treated with anti-TNF-α therapy at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University from April 2020 to April 2024. Based on treatment outcomes, the patients were categorized into responder group and non-responder group.Intestinal ultrasound parameters were collected at baseline, at the end of induction therapy, and at 3 and 6 months of maintenance therapy. The changes in intestinal ultrasound parameters during anti-TNF-α treatment were analyzed and compared between the responder and non-responder groups at these time points.Results:After a 6-month follow-up, among the 54 patients, 39 patients were classified as clinical responders and 15 as clinical non-responders, resulting in a disease control rate of 72.22% (39/54) for anti-TNF-α therapy. In the responder group, significant improvements were observed in bowel wall thickness, layering, and the length of perienteric cellulitis or abscesses at the end of induction therapy, and at 3 and 6 months of maintenance therapy compared to baseline (all P<0.05). Additionally, the Limberg grading of bowel wall blood supply also showed significant improvement at 3 and 6 months of maintenance therapy compared to baseline (all P<0.05). Perienteric fat tissue edema showed significant improvement at 6 months of maintenance therapy compared to baseline ( P<0.05). Moreover, 28.21% (11/39) patients in the responder group achieved fistula healing after 6 months of maintenance therapy. In the non-responder group, there were no statistically significant differences in the aforementioned ultrasound parameters at any time point during the observation period (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Intestinal ultrasound can accurately reflect the changes in disease status in Crohn′s disease patients with enteric fistulas undergoing anti-TNF-α therapy, and it may be a reliable method for monitoring drug efficacy.

Objective:To observe the application value of transabdominal intestinal ultrasound in monitoring the efficacy of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy in Crohn′s disease patients with enteric fistulas.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 54 patients with Crohn′s disease complicated by enteric fistulas, who were treated with anti-TNF-α therapy at Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University from April 2020 to April 2024. Based on treatment outcomes, the patients were categorized into responder group and non-responder group.Intestinal ultrasound parameters were collected at baseline, at the end of induction therapy, and at 3 and 6 months of maintenance therapy. The changes in intestinal ultrasound parameters during anti-TNF-α treatment were analyzed and compared between the responder and non-responder groups at these time points.Results:After a 6-month follow-up, among the 54 patients, 39 patients were classified as clinical responders and 15 as clinical non-responders, resulting in a disease control rate of 72.22% (39/54) for anti-TNF-α therapy. In the responder group, significant improvements were observed in bowel wall thickness, layering, and the length of perienteric cellulitis or abscesses at the end of induction therapy, and at 3 and 6 months of maintenance therapy compared to baseline (all P<0.05). Additionally, the Limberg grading of bowel wall blood supply also showed significant improvement at 3 and 6 months of maintenance therapy compared to baseline (all P<0.05). Perienteric fat tissue edema showed significant improvement at 6 months of maintenance therapy compared to baseline ( P<0.05). Moreover, 28.21% (11/39) patients in the responder group achieved fistula healing after 6 months of maintenance therapy. In the non-responder group, there were no statistically significant differences in the aforementioned ultrasound parameters at any time point during the observation period (all P>0.05). Conclusions:Intestinal ultrasound can accurately reflect the changes in disease status in Crohn′s disease patients with enteric fistulas undergoing anti-TNF-α therapy, and it may be a reliable method for monitoring drug efficacy.