P622 Comparison of long-term outcomes of infliximab and adalimumab in biologic-naïve patients with ulcerative colitis

Durak, M.B.(1);Baspınar, B.(1);Guven, I.E.(1);Kivrakoglu, F.(1,2);Kilic, V.(1);Kosar, K.(1);Erdogan, C.(1);Yüksel, I.(1,2);

(1)Ankara City Hospital, Gastroenterology, Ankara, Turkey;(2)Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University School of Medicine, Gastroenterology, Ankara, Turkey;

Background

The comparative efficacy and safety of infliximab (IFX) and adalimumab (ADA) have revealed variable results in biologic-naïve patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and long-term comparison studies between IFX and ADA with or without immunomodulator therapy are still needed in patients with UC.

Methods

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of IFX compared to ADA in biologic-naïve adult patients with UC. All data of patients between June 2007 and March 2021 were collected retrospectively. We compared UC-related hospitalisation, colectomy, steroid use, and serious infections leading to treatment cessation.

Results

Out of 86 UC patients, 41 started IFX first (mean age at onset: 34.4 years, 61.0% male) and 45 started ADA first (mean age at onset: 31.4 years, 60.0% male). Disease duration was 7.2 years for IFX and 8.1 years for ADA. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to age, gender, smoking, extraintestinal manifestations, immunomodulator usage, or disease extent at the onset of anti-TNF therapy (p > 0.05). Concomitant rates of medication including mesalazine, sulphapyridine, thiopurine, and steroids were the same in both groups (p > 0.05). In the IFX group, baseline haemoglobin (11.7 vs 13.2, p = 0.05) and albumin (3.8 vs 4.2, p = 0.02) levels were lower than those of the ADA group, while C-reactive protein was higher (14.0 vs 6.0, p = 0.04) than in the ADA group. Total MAYO score at baseline was similar in both groups (p = 0.10).

During anti-TNF therapy, steroid use was significantly higher in the ADA group (44.4%) compared to IFX (14.6%, p = 0.003). The rates of UC-related hospitalisation (IFX 9.8% vs ADA 13.3%, p=0.74) and colectomy (IFX 4.9% vs ADA 2.2%, p = 0.60) were similar in IFX and ADA groups. Serious infection leading to treatment cessation was not different between the two groups (IFX 2.4% vs ADA 4.4%, p=0.54). These outcomes were similar in UC patients treated with IFX or ADA monotherapy or in combination with an immunomodulator within each group, and there was no significant difference between IFX and ADA in combination with an immunomodulator regarding those outcomes (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

In this study, steroid use in the ADA group was significantly higher than in the IFX group, although UC-related hospitalisation, colectomy, and serious infections were not different in biologic-naïve adult patients with UC. We also observed that outcomes were similar in patients treated with IFX and ADA monotherapy or in combination with an immunomodulator. In the present study, IFX revealed better long-term outcomes for first-time treatment of UC patients.