Medical Information

Whether Upadacitinib needs to be taken for a long time depends on the type of indication, treatment response, and individual differences. Most patients with chronic immune diseases require continuous medication to maintain efficacy, but the specific course of treatment needs to be dynamically adjusted after regular evaluation by a doctor.

Indications for long-term medication

(1) Rheumatoid arthritis: 90% of patients need to continue medication for more than 12 months, and some patients need to take it for life to suppress joint structural damage. The recurrence rate within 3 months after stopping medication can reach 60%.

(2) Ankylosing spondylitis: It is recommended to continue medication for more than 24 months. Clinical data shows that the maintenance treatment group has a 47% decrease in disease activity compared to the intermittent medication group.

2. Situation of phased medication

(1) Atopic dermatitis: After 6-12 months of treatment for moderate to severe patients, if the skin lesions are completely cleared, gradual reduction can be attempted, but about 35% of patients require low-dose long-term maintenance.

(2) Psoriatic arthritis: After 6 months of standard treatment, about 40% of patients can try intermittent medication, but monthly monitoring of joint symptom changes is required.

3 factors that affect long-term medication use

(1) Safety monitoring: Immediate discontinuation of medication is required in the event of venous thrombosis, and the risk benefit ratio needs to be reassessed before continuing medication.

(2) Combination therapy: When used in combination with potent CYP3A inhibitors, it may be necessary to shorten the medication cycle or adjust the dosage.

(3) Special population: Patients over 65 years old who take medication for a long time need to be assessed for infection risk every 3 months, and those with abnormal liver function need to reduce their dosage by 20% for maintenance.