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Upadacitinib for difficult-to-treat paediatric Crohn's disease
N Nedelkopoulou1, S Sharma1, M Khalid1
1Sheffield Children's Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust Sheffield UK.
Insights
Upadacitinib shows promise for treating refractory paediatric Crohn's disease. This study highlights its effectiveness in two adolescents, suggesting a potential new treatment option for severe pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research
- Pharmacological Treatments
Background:
- Pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) presents significant long-term healthcare challenges.
- Existing treatments, including anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha agents, necessitate expanded therapeutic options for young patients.
- Limited pediatric data exist for upadacitinib, despite promising adult evidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of upadacitinib in adolescents with highly refractory Crohn's disease.
- To address the scarcity of pediatric data for this emerging therapeutic agent.
Main Methods:
- Case report of two adolescent patients with severe Crohn's disease.
- Treatment with upadacitinib in patients refractory to other therapies.
- Inclusion of a patient with prior subtotal colectomy.
Main Results:
- Upadacitinib demonstrated effective treatment in both adolescent patients.
- Positive outcomes were observed even in a patient with a history of subtotal colectomy.
Conclusions:
- Upadacitinib is a potentially effective treatment for highly refractory pediatric Crohn's disease.
- This case series supports further investigation of upadacitinib in pediatric IBD populations.
Abstract:
Paediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has an enormous impact on healthcare systems as it translates to a lifetime of healthcare. Since the approval of anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha agents, it has become evident that in the long journey of paediatric IBD, there is an absolute need for more treatment options. Emerging evidence from the adult literature suggests that upadacitinib is effective and safe; however, paediatric data are scarce. We present two adolescents with highly refractory to treatment Crohn's disease. One of them had undergone subtotal colectomy. Both patients were treated effectively with upadacitinib.
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