A NEW real-world study from China offers encouraging news for older adults living with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC): vedolizumab (VDZ) appears to be just as safe and effective in elderly patients as it is in younger ones.
The study compared outcomes in 30 patients aged 60 or older and 60 matched patients aged 18–59, all of whom received at least three infusions of vedolizumab between 2021 and 2024. Despite slower early improvements in the older group, long-term outcomes were comparable between age groups.
At six weeks, clinical remission and steroid-free clinical remission rates were significantly lower in the elderly group (10.0% and 3.3%, respectively) compared to younger adults (33.3% and 26.7%). However, by week 14 and beyond, no significant differences in clinical response, remission, or steroid-free remission rates were observed. This suggests that while older patients may respond more gradually, they ultimately achieve similar treatment outcomes.
Importantly, the rate of adverse events was comparable between age groups (33.3% in older patients vs. 38.3% in younger ones), reinforcing the safety profile of vedolizumab across different age populations.
“These findings support the use of vedolizumab as a viable treatment option for elderly UC patients,” the authors concluded. “With comparable efficacy and safety outcomes, age alone should not be a barrier to initiating this therapy.”
The study adds to growing global evidence that vedolizumab—a gut-selective biologic used for inflammatory bowel disease—can be a well-tolerated option for older patients, who are often underrepresented in clinical trials.
Reference
Zhang H et al. Efficacy and safety of vedolizumab in elderly and younger patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis: a retrospective real-world study in China. BMC Gastroenterol. 2025;DOI: 10.1186/s12876-025-04125-1.
