Chronic Antibiotic-Refractory Pouchitis: Management Challenges

Pouchitis is the most common long-term complication in patients with ulcerative colitis who underwent restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. The incidence of acute pouchitis is 20% after 1 year and up to 40% after 5 years. Chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis develops in approximately 10% of patients.

To present a narrative review of published literature regarding the management of chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis.

Current relevant literature was summarized and critically evaluated.

Clear definitions should be used to classify pouchitis into acute versus chronic, and responsive versus dependent versus refractory to antibiotics. Before treatment is started for chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis, secondary causes should be ruled out. There is a need for validated scoring systems to measure the severity of the disease. Because chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis is a rare condition, only small studies with often a poor study design have been performed. Treatments with antibiotics, aminosalicylates, steroids, immunomodulators and biologics have shown to be effective and safe for chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis. Also, treatments with AST-120, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, tacrolimus enemas, and granulocyte and monocyte apheresis suggested some efficacy.

The available data are weak but suggest that therapeutic options for chronic antibiotic-refractory pouchitis are similar to the treatment strategies for inflammatory bowel diseases. However, randomized controlled trials are warranted to further identify the best treatment options in this patient population.