Screening for TB
Screening to rule out latent tuberculosis (TB) is also important in IBD.
“We should be looking at whether they’ve had close contact with active TB or people from endemic areas,” said Long. “The reason we really care about this is that the risk of serious infection is doubled with anti-TNF therapy.”
The treatment of latent TB prior to the initiation of an anti-TNF “reduces the incidence of active TB by over 80%. This is why it’s imperative to screen prior to initiation, and then periodically based on risk factors,” she explained.
“It’s profound how much maintenance is required for patients with IBD,” said Christopher Stanke, MD, from the Oregon Medical Group in Eugene.
He said he is particularly struck by the collective risks for younger patients with IBD.
“Young people look to us as their only doctor. They don’t even see their primary care physicians very often. We have to take over a lot of this stuff,” he told Medscape Medical News.
And osteoporosis doesn’t often get the attention it needs in gastroenterologists’ offices, he acknowledged.
“I often check it on people as they get close to 50 or 60,” said Stanke, who added that Long’s presentation is a good reminder that younger patients, especially those who have been on steroids for a while, need more attention.
This article first appeared on Medscape.com.