Efficacy of Induction Therapy With Calcineurin Inhibitors in Combination With Ustekinumab for Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Approximately 20% of patients experience an acute severe attack during their life. In acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC), first-line therapy is intravenous (IV) steroids. In the absence of clinical improvement, 2 medical options can be considered: ciclosporin or infliximab.¹ In ASUC, ciclosporin is commonly used as a bridging therapy for thiopurines. Pellet et al² found that the same bridge strategy with vedolizumab was effective and can avoid colectomy. Given that an increasing number of patients with ASUC have been exposed to thiopurines, vedolizumab, and anti-tumor necrosis factor biologic therapies, newer approaches are needed in these patients, such as tofacitinib or ustekinumab. Ustekinumab, an antagonist of the p40 subunit of interleukin-12 and interleukin-23, has shown efficacy in ulcerative colitis and can be given in this indication.³ In this retrospective study, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of a bridge from calcineurin inhibitor to ustekinumab in patients with ASUC.