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Adalimumab reduced hospitalizations in UC patients
Adding adalimumab to standard treatment resulted in fewer hospitalizations when compared with placebo among patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, a study found.
“Adalimumab induction and maintenance therapy … is associated with significant reductions in the risks of all-cause, UC [ulcerative colitis]-related, and UC- or drug-related hospitalizations compared with placebo,” the researchers wrote.
The study combined data from 963 patients who had received adalimumab induction therapy — a 160-mg dose at week 0 followed by an 80-mg dose at week 2 — or placebo in the ULTRA 1 and ULTRA 2 trials. Researchers then compared rates of hospitalization and colectomy between the groups.
During the first 8 weeks of treatment, patients assigned adalimumab demonstrated significant reductions in hospitalization risks. Relative risk for all-cause hospitalizations was 0.6, risk for UC-related hospitalizations was 0.5, and risk for UC- or drug-related hospitalizations was 0.5 (P<.05 for all). Five of 480 patients in the adalimumab group underwent colectomy compared with six of 483 in the placebo group (P=.77).
After the ensuing 52 weeks of adalimumab therapy (40 mg biweekly starting at week 4), hospitalization rates remained lower compared with placebo.
All-cause hospitalization risk ratio was 0.7 (95%CI, 0.5-1); UC-related hospitalization risk ratio was 0.5 (95% CI, 0.4-0.8); and UC- or drug-related hospitalization risk ratio was 0.6 (95% CI, 0.4-0.9). Rates of colectomy were 0.05 and 0.04 in the placebo and adalimumab groups, respectively.
“These findings underscore the value of adalimumab as a treatment for patients who are failing standard therapies,” the researchers concluded.
Disclosure: See the study for a full list of relevant financial disclosures.