Clinical Scorecard: Advanced Crohn’s Therapies Show Similar Safety

At a Glance

Key Highlights

• No significant differences in serious infections, venous thromboembolism, or major adverse cardiovascular events across therapies.
• Ustekinumab associated with lower risk of gastrointestinal serious infections compared to vedolizumab.
• Venous thromboembolism rates were low, approximately 1 event per 100 person-years.
• Major adverse cardiovascular events occurred at rates below 2 events per 100 person-years.
• Study included 12,245 patients treated with various advanced therapies.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

• Utilize clinical criteria and imaging for diagnosis of Crohn's disease.

Management

• Consider advanced therapies including biologics and Janus kinase inhibitors based on patient-specific factors.

Monitoring & Follow-up

• Regularly monitor for serious infections and thromboembolic events during therapy.

Risks

• Assess risk factors for infections and cardiovascular events prior to initiating therapy.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Commercially insured adults aged 18 to 65 years

Broadly similar safety profiles across advanced therapies with low event rates.

Clinical Best Practices

• Implement propensity score–based adjustments for demographics and comorbidities in treatment evaluations.
• Monitor patients closely for gastrointestinal and extraintestinal infections.
• Educate patients on potential risks associated with advanced therapies.

References

• JAMA Network Open