Ulcerative Colitis Disease Flares Treated by Increasing Medication ...

View PDF | Print View
by: Guest Total views: 575 Word Count: 436   

By Ed Susman

CHICAGO -- May 31, 2009 -- Researchers said here at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2009 that patients who described themselves as suffering from moderate to severe ulcerative colitis usually have their medications increased and/or have immunomodulators added to their treatment therapy in response to disease flares.


Heidi C. Waters, Centocor Ortho Biotech Services, Horsham, Pennsylvania, at her poster presentation on May 31.

Waters and colleagues enrolled 505 individuals from the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Project during the third quarter of 2008. The participants were recruited from an Internet panel of self-identified inflammatory bowel disease sufferers.

The study team reported that the majority of patients who experienced frequent flares -- one or more a week -- were mainly treated with 5-aminosalicylic acid and steroids as their maintenance medication.

Of the 141 patients experiencing frequent flares, 49.6% were taking steroids; 41.1% were on 5-aminosalicylic acid; 19% were on immunomodulators; and 17% were taking biologics.

Waters said that when these patients experienced flares, their doctors increased dosages of maintenance medication 46.8% of the time; added an immunomodulator 34.8% of the times; added steroid 8.5% of the time; added a 5-aminosalicylic acid 7.8% of the time; and added a biologic agent 3.5% of the time.

Waters said that more than half of the patients who suffered frequent flares sought emergency room treatment (29.8%) or were admitted to the hospital (23.4%), while another 38.3% visited their gastroenterologist.

She said that patients with fewer flares were less likely to seek emergency room help (18.7%), a statistically significant difference ( P

The researchers identified 87 patients who reported no flares in the previous year; 62 individuals with 1 to 2 flares over the past year; 88 patients with 3 to 6 flares over the past year; 127 patients with 1 or more flares a month; and 141 patients with 1 or more flares per week.

About 66% to 78% of the patients in each group were women with a mean age of 48.6 years. They had been diagnosed for a mean of 11.9 years, Waters reported. About 10% to 20% of the individuals in each group were non-white.

The study was supported by Centocor Ortho biotech, Inc.

Digestive Disease Week 2009 is cosponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT).

Presentation title: Control of Disease Flares Among Patients With Ulcerative Colitis. Abstract S1045

Additional information:

Ulcerative Colitis currently Without Symptoms ( Ulcerative Colitis
Bullous Pemphigoid following Use of Sulphasalazine for Ulcerative
Ulcerative Colitis Medications - OrganizedWisdom Health
Digestive System Ulcerative Colitis Drug Pipeline Report
Immunosuppressive drugs in ulcerative colitis : twisting facts to
Drugs
Information on Ulcerative Colitis Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and
Medications to cure ulcerative colitis
Available Ulcerative Colitis Treatments
Canadian Society of Intestinal Research • Ulcerative Colitis

Related "Colitis":

• Crohn's and colitis manifesto launched
  Crohn's and colitis manifesto launched Posted: ...
• Ulcerative Colitis Treatment
  Those with suspicious symptoms should get a lacto ...
• Roche and Pharmasset Initiate Phase IIb Clinical Trial of R7128 ...
  Start of trial triggers $10 million milestone pa ...
• The gel of this plant has many uses including creams and lotions ...
  Many grow the Aloe Vera plant as a house plant. ...
• Drugless Pain Solutions
  Americans take an inordinate amount of medication ...

Comments

Add Comment