*EMBARGOED All research presented at the 2024 ACG Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course is strictly embargoed until Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 12:00 pm ET.
Oral 66 – Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients With IBD Taking Anti-TNF vs JAK Inhibitors: A Propensity Matched Cohort Analysis
Wednesday, October 30, 2024 | 8:40 AM – 8:50 AM ET | Terrace Ballroom 2-3
Author Insight from Saqr Alsakarneh, MD
What’s new here and important for clinicians?
No significant difference in the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) between patients treated with Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) (1.76%) and those treated with anti-TNF agents (1.94%).
No significant difference in the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) between the JAKi and anti-TNF groups.
In patients aged ≥65, the MACE rate was slightly higher in the anti-TNF group, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Patients treated with JAKi were more likely to undergo intestinal resection surgery compared to the anti-TNF group, but there was no difference in corticosteroid use between the two groups.
No significant difference in MACE or VTE across subgroup analyses comparing ulcerative colitis to Crohn’s disease, upadacitinib to tofacitinib, or JAKi to infliximab.
These findings suggest that JAK inhibitors do not increase the risk of cardiovascular events or VTE in IBD patients compared to anti-TNF therapy, making them a safe treatment option.
What do patients need to know?
Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not increase the risk of heart problems (like heart attacks) or blood clots compared to anti-TNF therapy.
Both treatments appear to be equally safe in terms of cardiovascular health over a 12-month period, including for patients over the age of 65.
If you’re considering JAK inhibitors for your IBD, this study suggests they are a safe option without added concerns about heart-related risks.
Talk to your doctor to decide which treatment is best for you based on your individual health needs.
Ongoing research will help us understand these treatments even better, but current findings are reassuring.
Author Contact
Saqr Alsakarneh, MD
University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine
Kansas City, MO
s.alsakarneh [at] gmail.com
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