Outcomes of a drug shortage requiring switching in patients with ulcerative colitis

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)

¹Outcome occurring prior to or at timepoint.

²5-ASA: Aminosalicylae.

³First hospitalization counted for UC flare only.

⁴Both deaths in cohort were unrelated to ulcerative colitis (one due to sarcoma and one acute myocardial infarction).

^aP < 0.05.