Cure8 research brief
Fibrotic complications in UC, though uncommon, are linked to greater healthcare use and costs and may be more likely in older patients, those with comorbidities, or prior advanced therapy exposure. Understanding risk factors could help with earlier detection and targeted research into antifibrotic approaches.
Adults with ulcerative colitis, gastroenterologists and IBD clinicians, health services researchers, and policy makers focused on IBD care utilization
The study analyzed 6,944 UC patients from a nationwide insurer-provider database and identified 100 (1.4%) with fibrotic complications. Older age at diagnosis and comorbid conditions were associated with higher risk, while proctitis at presentation was associated with lower risk. Prior exposure to advanced therapy was also associated with increased risk.
The authors used non-malignant strictures, stenosis, or obstruction after UC diagnosis as a proxy for fibrosis.
Clinical and research implications: The findings highlight a measurable clinical and economic burden tied to fibrotic complications in UC, and the authors recommend improved risk stratification, earlier recognition, and further study of targeted antifibrotic strategies.
This record is an abstract-level summary of a retrospective, population-based cohort using administrative clinical data; fibrosis was inferred from clinical diagnoses of strictures/stenosis/obstruction rather than direct histologic measurement. The study identifies associations but does not establish causation.
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
Conflict statement: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Ilona Shapiro reports financial support was provided by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA. Ebuwa Igho-Osagie reports a relationship with Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA that includes: employment. Garrett Lawlor reports a relationship with Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA that includes: employment. Gui Liu reports a relationship with Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA that includes: employment. Florian Rieder reports a relationship with Adiso, Adnovate, Agomab, Allergan, AbbVie, Arena, AstraZeneca, Bausch & Lomb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celltrion, CDISC, Celsius, Cowen, 89Bio, Eugit, Ferring, Galapagos, Galmed, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Gossamer, Granite, Guidepoint, Helmsley, Horizon Therapeutics, Image Analysis Limited, Index Pharma, Landos, Jannsen Pharmaceuticals, Koutif, Mestag, Metacrine, Mirum, Mobius, Mopac, Morphic, Myka Labs, Organovo, Origo, Palisade, Pfizer, Pliant, Prometheus Biosciences, Receptos, RedX, Roche, Samsung, Sanofi, Surmodics, Surrozen, Takeda, Techlab, Teva, Theravance, Thetis, Tr1x Bio, UCB and Ysios that includes: consulting or advisory. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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