Table 2.
Long term cumulative outcomes including rates of treatment escalation, colectomy and mortality in those who continued on alternative aminosalicylate therapy (n = 19) vs those who switched but then returned to balsalazide as soon as supply returned (n = 12), n (%)
| Outcome (cumulative) | Post-switch review (baseline), n (%) | As of 3y follow-up1, n (%) | As of 5y follow-up1, n = (%) | |||
| Alternative 5-ASA2 | Resumed alsalazide | Alternative 5-ASA2 | Resumed balsalazide | Alternative 5-ASA2 | Resumed balsalazide | |
| Escalated to immunomodulator | 14 (73.7) | 5 (41.7) | 16 (84.2) | 5 (41.7) | 16 (84.2) | 5 (41.7) |
| Escalated to biologic | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (15.8) | 0 (0) | 6 (31.6) | 2 (16.7) |
| Hospitalised for flare3 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (15.8) | 0 (0) | 7 (36.8)a | 0 (0)a |
| Colectomy | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (5.3) | 0 (0) | 1 (5.3) | 0 (0) |
| All-cause mortality4 | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (10.5) | 0 (0) | 2 (10.5) | 0 (0) |
1
Outcome occurring prior to or at timepoint.
2
5-ASA: Aminosalicylae.
3
First hospitalization counted for UC flare only.
4
Both deaths in cohort were unrelated to ulcerative colitis (one due to sarcoma and one acute myocardial infarction).
a
P < 0.05.