Filgotinib to Treat Acute Severe Refractory Ulcerative Colitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is a serious complication affecting 9%-15% of patients with UC within 3 months of diagnosis and up to 28% of patients during the course of the disease. Despite the use of infliximab and calcineurin inhibitors, the rate of colectomy remains high both during the hospitalization and in the 5 years after an acute episode. We present a case of ASUC that was unresponsive to conventional therapies but was successfully treated with filgotinib.

A 21-year-old male with a recent diagnosis of UC presented to our hospital with a severe flare. He received rescue therapy of high-dose intravenous steroids and 10 mg/kg infliximab. We observed little clinical and biochemical benefits. The patient declined the surgical option. Therefore, we decided to start a second rescue therapy with a new and rapid-acting Janus kinase inhibitor, filgotinib, due to its characteristics and pharmacokinetic profile of rapid absorption and metabolism. The patient showed an immediate clinical and biochemical response at 48 h, an endoscopic response at week 3, and an endoscopic remission at week 10. No recurrence was observed after 12 months of follow-up. The patient is in clinical remission with a good quality of life.

Filgotinib may be an effective second-line therapy in an emergency setting such as ASUC in patients unresponsive to conventional therapy.