Published On: 6/22/2021

Target RWE Study Shows Significant Differences in Medication Use Among Older Patients with IBD Compared to Younger Patients

DURHAM, N.C., June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New data from the ongoing TARGET-IBD study found older patients (>65 years) are significantly more likely to receive aminosalicylate monotherapy as a treatment for both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis compared to their younger counterparts. The study was conducted by Target RWE, a leading real-world evidence (RWE) solutions company for the healthcare industry.

Published online ahead of print in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology (doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000001557), the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) manuscript, Older Adult Patients Use More Aminosalicylate Monotherapy Compared to Younger Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: TARGET-IBD, analyzed more than 2,900 patients across 34 academic or community sites in the U.S. between July 1, 2017 and February 18, 2020. Younger patients with this diagnosis were significantly more likely to use anti-tumor necrosis alpha (anti-TNF) monotherapy compared to older patients with IBD.

"Understanding patterns between these two populations of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients is critical to informing future evaluations and clinical outcomes," said Edward Barnes, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and lead author of the study. "Given the aging population in the United States, and the host of issues that come along with treating older patients, utilization patterns have long-term implications for IBD control."

An estimated 1.6 million Americans live with an IBD diagnosis, and there is no cure.¹ Approximately one-third of new cases of CD are diagnosed in elderly patients.² While the overall incidence of IBD is relatively stable, the prevalence of IBD continues to increase as the population ages.³

Older adults face practical concerns with IBD treatment. Taking multiple medications is a significant issue for many older patients. In one retrospective study, 94% of patients age 65 or older with IBD were taking three or more medications.⁴ Understanding the medication utilization patterns among older patients with CD and UC will be a critical component to future evaluations of clinical outcomes in this population.

TARGET-IBD is an active 5-year longitudinal, observational study of more than 4,400 adult and pediatric patients with IBD receiving usual care from 36 academic and community centers throughout the U.S. Real-world data is collected retrospectively for three years from the time of the patient's date of consent and patients are also followed prospectively for a minimum of five years. The robust TARGET-IBD cohort allows for the collection of effectiveness and safety data upon new drug approvals.