Trends in Ulcerative Colitis Patient Numbers and Treatment Drug Usage

Ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system abnormally causes chronic inflammation of the large intestine’s mucous membrane. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody stools. In severe cases, there is a noted risk of developing colorectal cancer. For patients with mild to moderate symptoms, aminosalicylate preparations for intestinal use are widely used as the first-line treatment.

Intestinal aminosalicylate preparations are effective in reducing inflammation in the gut and have been used as a standard treatment for many years. In recent years, JAK inhibitors have also gained attention as a new treatment option, with their use tailored to the patient’s symptoms and disease severity.

Using MDV data, we investigated the quarterly trends in ulcerative colitis patient numbers, patient demographics by gender and age, trends in the use of ulcerative colitis treatment drugs by category, and the prescription trends for JAK inhibitors.

Quarterly Trends in Ulcerative Colitis Patient Numbers

Data Period: January 2019 to December 2024
Eligible Facilities: 342 hospitals with complete data for the specified period

The overall trend shows an increase in patient numbers, with a steady upward trajectory particularly noticeable since 2021.

Patient Demographics by Gender and Age

Data Period: January 2019 to December 2024
Eligible Facilities: 342 hospitals with complete data for the specified period

The largest patient group for both men and women was in their 40s, with a de- creasing trend as age increased. Additionally, the data confirmed that men gen- erally outnumbered women.

Trends in Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Drugs by Category

Data Period: January 2019 to December 2024
Eligible Facilities: 342 hospitals with complete data for the specified period

Among conventional treatments, excluding intestinal aminosalicylate prepara- tions, “other immunosuppressive drugs” were the most commonly used, establishing themselves as the next standard treatment. Additionally, the use of “JAK inhibitors” and “interleukin inhibitors” has been gradually increasing, suggesting that these relatively new treatments, introduced in recent years, are gaining wider use. These trends indicate a growing diversity in treatment options for ulcerative colitis.

Prescription Trends for JAK Inhibitors

Data Period: January 2019 to December 2024
Eligible Facilities: 342 hospitals with complete data for the specified period Among JAK inhibitors, “upadacitinib hydrate” has seen a steady increase in prescriptions since its market introduction and has become the most frequently pre- scribed of the three agents since 2023. Additionally, “filgotinib maleate” has also shown a gradual increase in prescription numbers.

Note: This article was published on June 1, 2025.