Background: there are concerns regarding the risk of relapse after discontinuation of anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the risk of relapse after discontinuation of anti-TNF agent in patients, and the response to retreatment with the same anti-TNF agent.
Methods: electronic databases were searched to identify relevant studies. Primary outcomes were the pooled percentage of relapses after the withdrawal of anti-TNF agents. Secondary outcomes were the pooled percentage of the response to retreatment with the same anti-TNF agent after relapse.
Results: thirty-seven studies were included in this meta-analysis. The overall risk of relapse after discontinuation of anti-TNF agent was 43 % for ulcerative colitis (UC) and 43 % for Crohn's disease (CD). In UC, the relapse rate was 37 % at 1-2 year, and 58 % at 3-5 years. In CD, the relapse rate was 38 % at 1-2 year, 53 % at 3-5 years, and 49 % at more than five years. When clinical remission was the only criterion for stopping anti-TNF agent, the relapse rate was 42 % in UC and 45 % in CD, which decreased to 40 % in UC and 36 % in CD when clinical remission and endoscopic healing were required. Retreatment with the same anti-TNF agent induced remission again in 78 % of UC patients and 76 % of CD patients.
Conclusion: our meta-analysis showed that a high proportion of IBD patients will relapse after discontinuation of anti-TNF agent. The response to retreatment with the same anti-TNF agent is generally favorable in patients who relapse.