Intestinal Research

Original Articles

Escalation to biologics after corticosteroids in patients with newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease in Japan: a claims analysis from 2010 to 2021: Minoru Matsuura, Annabelle Yoon, Jun Miyoshi, Tadakazu Hisamatsu; Received April 17, 2025 Accepted August 18, 2025 Published online November 25, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2025.00059 [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Background/Aims
A previous health insurance claims study of Japanese patients with newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease (CD) reported an increase in “step-up” approach from 2010 to 2020, with biologic use in the first year remaining stable. This study examined systemic corticosteroid (SCS) use for newly diagnosed CD in Japan and compared patients who were escalated (“step-up”) and were not escalated to biologics.
Methods
This retrospective longitudinal cohort study used health insurance claims data (JMDC database). Patients diagnosed with CD from 2010 to 2020 who had no CD-related claims for ≥ 1 year before index, were traceable for ≥ 1 year after index, and treated with ≥ 1 pre-defined treatment were included. Patients classified by SCS and/or biologic use within 1 year after diagnosis were compared.
Results
Of 823 patients, 379 (46.1%) received SCS in the first year; of these, 43.5% escalated to biologics (step-up group) and 56.5% did not (SCS group). The proportion of patients receiving SCS increased from 25.8% in 2010–2011 to 55.5% in 2020; proportion escalated to biologics increased from 33.8% in 2016–2017 to 51.0% in 2020. The step-up group was significantly younger, more likely to have perianal lesions, and received more intensive treatments than the SCS group. In terms of SCS use, the step-up group was more likely to have shorter time-to-SCS initiation, and a higher initial SCS dose, than the SCS group.
Conclusions
Escalation from SCS to biologics in Japanese patients with newly diagnosed CD increased between 2016 and 2020, particularly in patients with younger onset CD or perianal complications.

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IBD

Real-world use of biologics during the first year of treatment for newly diagnosed Crohn’s disease in Japan: a claims analysis from 2010 to 2021: Jun Miyoshi, Annabelle Yoon, Minoru Matsuura, Tadakazu Hisamatsu; Intest Res 2026;24(1):129-140. Published online January 23, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2024.00082

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Background/Aims
Crohn’s disease (CD) leads to bowel damage and disability if suboptimally treated. We investigated firstyear treatment decisions and real-world use of biologics in patients with CD in Japan.
Methods
In this retrospective observational study (2010–2021) from the JMDC claims database, patients with a new diagnosis of CD (no CD claims record within 12 months before index) who received ≥ 1 pre-defined treatment were grouped by use of biologics and systemic corticosteroids (SCS) within the first year of diagnosis.
Results
Of 823 patients included, 470 (57.1%) were prescribed biologics and 353 (42.9%) were not; 77.6% were male, 75.7% had adult-onset CD, and median age was 24 years. Patients prescribed biologics were younger (median: 23 years vs. 28 years) and more had perianal lesions (43.0% vs. 22.9%) than those not prescribed biologics; 64.9% (95% confidence interval, 60.4%–69.2%) received a top-down treatment approach (no SCS before biologics). Factors significantly associated with a top-down treatment approach were male sex, perianal lesions, no use of immunomodulators, and use of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies. The proportion of patients receiving SCS before biologics (step-up approach) increased after 2018, with a shift from prednisolone to budesonide from 2016. Persistence with first biologics decreased over time, with no differences between biologic types.
Conclusions
Use of biologics for treatment of CD within the first year of diagnosis in Japan has remained stable over the past decade. However, there was a shift to a step-up treatment approach, with an increase in use of SCS before biologics over time.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Towards an Asian paradigm of inflammatory bowel disease management: A comparative review of China and Japan
Qi Sun, Zhixian Jiang, Lichao Yang, Hao Liu, Peipei Song, Lianwen Yuan
Intractable & Rare Diseases Research.2025; 14(3): 192. CrossRef

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