title: Efficacy and safety of drugs for ulcerative colitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colon that carries considerable burden and morbidity for patients and presents a constant challenge in management for gastroenterologists. Continued advances in medical therapies provide a range of treatment options for patients, but with this is the need to balance the potential benefits of a particular medication with its side effect profile in both the short and the long term.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article will review the current drugs used in the treatment of UC, including 5-amninosalicylates, antibiotics, steroids, immunomodulators and biologics, with particular attention to their indications, efficacy and toxicity profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The reader will gain a comprehensive understanding of the various medical therapies used in the treatment of UC with focus on efficacy and toxicity profiles, allowing providers to choose appropriate medical therapies for their patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The particular agent used depends upon the extent and severity of disease, with mild-to-moderate disease treated with conventional therapy including 5-amninosalicylates. Steroids are used in the short term to bring active disease into remission, and the more aggressive immunomodulators and biologics are reserved for more severe disease given their toxicity profiles.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Department of Gastroenterology, 330 Brookline Ave. Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Laura Noddin
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Peppercorn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors