Population-based real-world adoption of advanced therapies for ulcerative colitis in Brazil: Trends and regional differences from a nationwide public healthcare database.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate temporal trends and regional differences in the use of advanced therapies for ulcerative colitis (UC) within Brazil's public healthcare system.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Retrospective population-based study using Brazilian Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS) data (2019-2023). Patients with an ICD-10 code for UC were included. Monthly dispensing rates of infliximab, vedolizumab, and tofacitinib were analyzed.

RESULTS

By 2023, 195,807 UC patients were identified. Administrative prevalence increased from 26.37 to 62.47 per 100,000 inhabitants. Nationwide use of advanced therapies rose significantly. Vedolizumab showed the highest Annual Average Percent Change (AAPC) (+8.5%), followed by tofacitinib (+4.8%) and infliximab (+1.02%). The Southeast demonstrated the greatest growth, whereas the Northeast showed a significant decline across all therapies.

CONCLUSION

UC prevalence increased markedly in Brazil, with persistent regional disparities in advanced therapy use.