Dear Editor:I read with interest the results reported by Honap and colleagues.1 The authors found that 74% of patients with ulcerative colitis [UC] responded to tofacitinib treatment by week 8. In the subsequent weeks, although response rates decreased, over half [n = 57, 53%] still responded. Most patients had received prior treatment. In total, 45% [n = 68] and 66% [n = 89] used corticosteroids and thiopurine at baseline respectively. Such results generally accord with the literature. In a meta-analysis of 17 studies,2 62.1% of patients achieved clinical response at week 8. Clinical response rates beyond this remained promising (week 24: 50.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 42.1–59.5%; week 48: 41.8%, 95% CI: 31.8–51.8%). In another meta-analysis,3 tofacitinib was more effective than conventional maintenance therapies in achieving clinical response in moderate-to-severe UC. This applies to both tumour necrosis factor [TNF]-na?ve and TNF-experienced patients. There is also a discernible dose-dependent relationship (TNF-na?ve patients: 5 mg/twice daily: odds ratio [OR]: 4.58, 95% CI: 0.42–78.74; vs 10 mg/twice daily: OR: 6.03, 95% CI: 0.56–117.98; TNF-experienced patients: 5 mg/twice daily: OR: 4.53, 95% CI: 2.1–22.23; vs 10 mg/twice daily: OR: 8.66, 95% CI: 3.87–65.79).
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