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Upadacitinib for refractory ulcerative colitis with primary nonresponse to infliximab and vedolizumab: A case report
Xuan Xu1,2, Jing-Wen Jiang1,2, Bing-Yun Lu1
1Department of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518100, Guangdong Province, China.
Background:
Many patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) do not respond well to, or tolerate conventional and biological therapies. There is currently no consensus on the treatment of refractory UC. Studies have demonstrated that the selective Janus kinase 1 inhibitor upadacitinib, a small-molecule drug, is effective and safe for treating UC. However, no studies have revealed that upadacitinib is effective in treating refractory UC with primary nonresponse to infliximab and vedolizumab.
Case Summary:
We report the case of a 44-year-old male patient with a chief complaint of bloody diarrhoea with mucus and pus, in addition to dizziness. The patient had recurrent disease after receiving mesalazine, prednisone, azathioprine, infliximab and vedolizumab over four years. Based on the endoscopic findings and pathological biopsy, the patient was diagnosed with refractory UC. In particular, the patient showed primary nonresponse to infliximab and vedolizumab. Based on the patient's history and recurrent disease, we decided to administer upadacitinib. During hospitalisation, the patient was received upadacitinib under our guidance. Eight weeks after the initiation of upadacitinib treatment, the patient's symptoms and endoscopic findings improved significantly. No notable adverse reactions have been reported to date.
Conclusion:
Our case report suggests that upadacitinib may represent a valuable strategy for treating refractory UC with primary nonresponse.
Insights
Upadacitinib shows promise for treating refractory ulcerative colitis (UC) in patients who did not respond to infliximab or vedolizumab. This small-molecule drug improved symptoms and endoscopic findings in a case study.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Ulcerative colitis (UC) management is challenging, with many patients unresponsive to conventional and biologic therapies.
- Refractory UC lacks a treatment consensus, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies.
- Upadacitinib, a Janus kinase 1 inhibitor, has demonstrated efficacy in UC, but its use in specific refractory cases is under-explored.
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