Cure8 research brief
This study compares two JAK inhibitors (upadacitinib and tofacitinib) used as rescue therapy for acute severe ulcerative colitis and reports lower 1‑year colectomy rates with upadacitinib. That could influence choices when JAK inhibitors are being considered to avoid surgery.
Adults hospitalized with acute severe ulcerative colitis, gastroenterologists and inpatient IBD teams, clinicians managing rescue or salvage therapy, and patients considering JAK inhibitor treatment options.
This multicentre retrospective cohort study from Australian IBD centres compared outcomes for adults hospitalized with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) who received the JAK inhibitors upadacitinib or tofacitinib and evaluated use as rescue therapy versus sequential salvage therapy over 52 weeks.
The study included 150 patients with complete 52‑week follow-up. Overall colectomy by week 52 occurred in 33% of patients. Colectomy rates were lower with upadacitinib than tofacitinib (23.4% vs 42.5%) with a reported statistically significant difference at 52 weeks.
Sequential salvage therapy showed a numerically higher colectomy rate than rescue therapy (38% vs 30%) but did not reach statistical significance. The authors report that JAK inhibitors had an acceptable safety profile in this cohort and that upadacitinib was associated with higher rates of clinical and biochemical remission during follow-up.
The analysis is retrospective and observational, so it cannot prove causation or replace randomized trial evidence.
If you are an inpatient with ASUC or a clinician considering JAK inhibitors for rescue or sequential salvage, these findings suggest upadacitinib may be associated with lower 1‑year colectomy risk in this dataset, but treatment decisions should integrate individual risks, prior therapies, and current guideline recommendations.
This is a retrospective multicentre cohort study (observational), not a randomized trial. Results may be affected by selection bias, differences in prior treatments, dosing, and center practices. The abstract reports clinical and biochemical remission benefits but does not provide full safety or subgroup detail in the supplied text.
that JAK inhibitors carry known risks that should be discussed with clinicians.
Review the original publication for the complete reporting, methods, and context.
This Cure8 brief is based on source text from the linked article. Cure8 is informational only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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