Upadacitinib Maintenance Therapy in Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis: 52-week Multicenter Study from the Porto Group of ESPGHAN - PubMed
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- #JAK Inhibitors
- #Ulcerative Colitis
- #Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Upadacitinib was evaluated as a maintenance therapy for pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) and unclassified inflammatory bowel disease (IBD-U) in a 52-week multicenter study.
- The study included 105 children (95 UC, 10 IBD-U) with a mean age of 14.6 years, most of whom had prior biologic therapy exposure.
- Clinical remission was achieved in 58% of children after 8 weeks and 71% by week 52, with corticosteroid-free remission rates of 51% and 70%, respectively.
- Sustained corticosteroid-free remission was observed in 60% of children, with additional improvements in biomarkers like C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin levels.
- Adverse events occurred in 50% of participants, including hyperlipidemia, infections, and acne, with two serious cases reported.
- The study concludes that upadacitinib is effective for refractory pediatric UC and IBD-U but highlights the need to balance benefits against potential adverse effects.