Continuation of JAK Inhibitor Therapy Prevents Relapse in Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

Patients with refractory ulcerative colitis (UC) who are treated with Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) and withdrawal from therapy have significantly high rates of disease relapse and can benefit from resuming JAKi treatment, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week 2024, taking place May 18-21 in Washington, DC.

In this multicenter, retrospective, cohort study, researchers analyzed outpatients with active UC at 3 institutions between September 2018 and April 2023. Patients in the population of interest had received current and/or previous treatment involving Tofacitinib (TOFA), Filgotinib (FIL), and Upadacitinib (UPA). A total of 86 cases (TOFA in 57, FIL in 16, and UPA in 13) were analyzed and classified into continuation and withdrawal groups. Cumulative relapse rates were assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves.

According to the results, although patient-reported outcomes at 12 weeks were lower in the withdrawal group, the cumulative relapse rate in the withdrawal group was notably higher than in the continuation group. Encouragingly, the study found that the rate of clinical response after reintroduction of JAKi was 80.0%, and the rate of remission was 73.3%.

“Continuation of JAKi prevents clinical relapse, and resumption of JAKi may be effective even if the drug is withdrawn due to unavoidable circumstances,” the researchers concluded.