Top stories in gastroenterology: FDA issues safety alert for Xeljanz, inflammatory bowel disease increases risk for venous thromboembolism

Among the top stories in gastroenterology last week were the FDA issuing a safety alert and approving a boxed warning for the use of Xeljanz in patients with ulcerative colitis and a study that found patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism for up two months after discharge from the hospital.

Other highlights included results from the CENTAUR study that demonstrated cenicriviroc reduced certain biomarkers associated with fibrosis progression, a study that suggested cumulative lifetime health care costs for Americans with inflammatory bowel disease care may amount to more than $300 and a study that found patients with concomitant irritable bowel syndrome and psychiatric comorbidities who then develop extra-gastrointestinal symptoms are more likely to attribute them to mental health iseus and seek psychiatric care but not gastrointestinal care.

FDA approves boxed warning for Xeljanz in ulcerative colitis

The FDA issued a safety alert and approved new boxed warning for the 10-mg, twice-daily dosage of tofacitinib in patients with ulcerative colitis; the warning comes after increased blood clot and death risks were seen in a rheumatoid arthritis trial. Read more.

Outpatient venous thromboembolism linked with age, Clostridioides difficile , discharge after inflammatory bowel disease hospitalizations

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risk for venous thromboembolism for up 2 months after discharge from the hospital, according to study results. Read more.

CENTAUR identifies characteristics of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, demonstrates efficacy of cenicriviroc

Data from year 2 of the CENTAUR study demonstrated that cenicriviroc had a greater reduction on certain biomarkers associated with fibrosis progression compared with placebo. Read more.

Lifetime costs of inflammatory bowel disease care may be higher than previous estimates

Researchers from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania estimated that the prevalent populations of patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the United States will incur more than $400 billion and $300 billion in lifetime total health care costs, respectively. Read more.

Psychiatric symptoms inconsistently predict health care use for patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome and psychiatric comorbidities are more likely to seek psychiatric care but not gastrointestinal care when they also have extra-gastrointestinal symptoms, according to study results. Read more.