title: Once-daily dosing of delayed-release oral mesalamine (400-mg tablet) is as effective as twice-daily dosing for maintenance of remission of ulcerative colitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The practice of dosing mesalamines in divided doses for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) began with sulfasalazine and was driven by sulfapyridine toxicity. This convention and the assumption that dosing multiple times a day is necessary to treat UC had not been challenged until recently. This study was conducted to determine the efficacy and safety of once-daily dosing of delayed-release mesalamine (Asacol 400-mg tablets) compared with twice-daily dosing for maintaining remission in UC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter, randomized, investigator-blinded, 12-month, active-control trial was conducted to assess the noninferiority of delayed-release mesalamine 1.6-2.4 g/day administered once daily compared with twice daily in patients with mild-to-moderate UC currently in clinical remission. The primary end point was maintenance of clinical remission at month 6.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1023 patients were randomized and dosed. The primary objective of noninferiority was met. At month 6, 90.5% of patients receiving once-daily dosing had maintained clinical remission, compared with 91.8% of patients receiving twice-daily dosing (95% confidence interval for twice daily - once daily, -2.3 to 4.9). At month 12, 85.4% of patients receiving once-daily dosing had maintained clinical remission, compared with 85.4% of patients receiving twice-daily dosing (95% confidence interval for twice daily - once daily, -4.6 to 4.7). Both regimens had low rates of withdrawals as a result of adverse events and serious adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Once-daily dosing of delayed-release mesalamine at doses of 1.6-2.4 g/day was shown to be as effective as twice-daily dosing for maintenance of clinical remission in patients with UC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. sandborn.william@mayo.edu
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Sandborn
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Korzenik
authors.forename: Bret
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lashner
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Leighton
authors.forename: Uma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mahadevan
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Marion
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safdi
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sninsky
authors.forename: Raman M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Friedenberg
authors.forename: Preston
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dunnmon
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ramsey
authors.forename: Sunanda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kane
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D019804:Mesalamine