Predictors and Outcomes of Ustekinumab Dose Intensification in Ulcerative Colitis: A Multicenter Cohort Study

Ustekinumab has been shown to be effective for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC); however, >40% of patients have suboptimal clinical response after induction and maintenance dosing every 8 weeks.^1,2 The best management approach for these patients is unclear. Many undergo empiric dose intensification to every 4 weeks or every 6 weeks, a nonstandardized decision because of limited data supporting therapeutic drug monitoring of ustekinumab.³ In Crohn's disease, approximately 50% of patients undergo ustekinumab dose intensification, which seems to be effective based on prior work from our group and others.^4-8 However, similar data in UC are lacking. In this real-world multicenter cohort study, we sought to identify predictors and outcomes of ustekinumab dose intensification in UC.