title: Mucosal healing and steroid-sparing associated with infliximab for steroid-dependent ulcerative colitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Corticosteroid therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC) frequently results in Steroid-dependency. The objective of this study was to evaluate the long term clinical and endoscopic efficacy of infliximab (IFX) in steroid-dependent UC.
  
  
  METHODS
  An open-label, prospective, single center study was designed. Patients older than 18 years with steroid-dependent UC, either intolerant or did not respond to azathioprine, were consecutively enrolled. Steroid-dependency was defined as the ECCO criteria. Patients received IFX (5 mg/kg) at 0, 2 and 6 weeks and every 8 weeks thereafter for 2 years. All patients were clinically evaluated at weeks 8, 52 and 104 and a colonoscopy was performed at week 104. Response to IFX was defined as clinical remission without steroids together with mucosal healing (endoscopic Mayo score of 0 or 1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen consecutive patients were included (11 male, mean age 45, range 25-70). Thirteen (76%) had extensive colitis (E3). All patients completed IFX therapy. Clinical response was in 13/17 at weeks 8 and 52. Twelve out of seventeen patients maintained clinical remission without steroids and endoscopic response at week 104. Six out of seventeen patients needed dose intensification of IFX (every 6 weeks); 3/6 patients did not reach remission despite dose intensification. Including those patients who needed dose intensification as non-responders, 9/17 patients were in clinical and endoscopic remission at week 104. A significant correlation was found between clinical and endoscopic findings (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infliximab therapy is effective for maintenance of clinical remission and mucosal healing in patients with steroid-dependent UC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, C/Choupana, s/n, E-15706, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barreiro-de Acosta
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lorenzo
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mera
authors.forename: J Enrique
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dominguez-Muñoz