Efficacy and Safety of Antiintegrin Antibody for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of available biologics that inhibit T-cell migration by blocking α(4)β(7) integrins in inflammatory bowel diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether Crohn disease (CD) patients receiving either vedolizumab or natalizumab have any different effect in CD Activity Index (CDAI). Using Medline, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Google Scholar until October 31, 2013, we identified 10 studies examining the safety and efficacy of specific integrin inhibitors—vedolizumab, which targets an epitope comprising the α(4)β(7) heterodimer; natalizumab, which recognizes the α(4) integrin subunit; etrolizumab, which is specific for the β7 subunit—in the treatment of CD and ulcerative colitis (UC). CD patients receiving either vedolizumab or natalizumab demonstrated a modest increase in remission rate, when compared with that of the placebo group. Further, although both treatments reduced the CDAI slightly, the observed clinical response was less robust than that of the remission rate. UC patients treated with vedolizumab and natalizumab were found to show more prominent increases in both remission and clinical response, compared with placebo, than patients with CD. Etrolizumab, however, was not found to significantly affect either response or remission rates in UC patients. Biologics targeting integrins show promise as therapeutics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in patients who are either nonresponsive or intolerant to traditional approaches, though further research is necessary to optimize treatment efficacies.