Early intervention for acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) improves outcomes. Outcomes and healthcare costs for an infliximab-first and colectomy-first approach were compared.
This single-center retrospective cohort study of inpatients with steroid-refractory ASUC who received infliximab 5 mg/kg (1-3 doses without maintenance) or initial colectomy between 2004 and 2014 assessed long-term healthcare utilization and direct costs following infliximab or colectomy, using admission coding data until 31 December 2016.
A total of 118 patients received either infliximab (
In support of current practice, infliximab salvage in steroid-refractory ASUC achieved reduced short-term healthcare costs compared with initial colectomy, though long-term costs were not significantly different.