The following is a summary of “Real-World Evidence of Tofacinitib in Ulcerative Colitis: Short-Term and Long-Term Effectiveness and Safety,” published in the July 2023 issue of Gastroenterology and Nutrition by Chaparro, et al.
For a study, researchers sought to evaluate the durability, short-term and long-term effectiveness, and safety of tofacitinib in treating ulcerative colitis (UC) in real-world clinical practice.
The retrospective multicenter study included patients with UC who had received their first dose of tofacitinib at least 8 weeks before inclusion. The clinical effectiveness of tofacitinib was assessed using the partial Mayo score, a validated measure of disease activity.
A total of 408 patients were included in the study. Among them, 184 patients (45%) discontinued tofacitinib during the follow-up period, with an average duration of 18 months. The probability of maintaining tofacitinib treatment was 67% at 6 months, 58% at 12 months, and 49% at 24 months. The primary reason for discontinuation was a lack of response to treatment, accounting for 44% of cases. Older age at the start of tofacitinib therapy and higher severity of clinical activity were associated with a higher likelihood of tofacitinib withdrawal. At week 4, 38% of patients achieved remission, which increased to 45% at week 8 and 47% at week 16.
Baseline disease activity and older age at the start of tofacitinib therapy were associated with a lower and higher likelihood of achieving remission at week 8, respectively. Among the 171 patients in remission at week 8, 49% experienced relapse. The probability of maintaining treatment response was 66% at 6 months and 54% at 12 months. Adverse events related to tofacitinib treatment were reported in 93 patients, including two cases of pulmonary thromboembolism (in patients with pre-existing risk factors) and two cases of peripheral vascular thrombosis. Tofacitinib treatment was discontinued in 29 patients due to adverse events.
The study’s findings demonstrated the effectiveness of tofacitinib in both the short-term and long-term treatment of ulcerative colitis in real-world clinical practice. The safety profile of tofacitinib observed in the study was consistent with previous reports.
Source: journals.lww.com/ajg/Abstract/2023/07000/Real_World_Evidence_of_Tofacinitib_in_Ulcerative.24.aspx