title: Oral beclomethasone dipropionate: a critical review of its use in the management of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
abstract: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are inflammatory bowel diseases characterised by a chronic relapsing course. Corticosteroids represent the mainstay of medical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease for the induction of remission. Despite the high efficacy of systemic steroids, their use is limited by the high incidence of potentially serious adverse effects. The topically acting steroids are synthetic compounds characterised by high anti-inflammatory activity and low systemic effects by virtue of efficient first-pass hepatic inactivation. Budesonide and Beclomethasone Dipropionate are the two most studied topically acting steroids in inflammatory bowel disease. Oral Budesonide has been extensively studied in the treatment of mild to moderate ileo-caecal Crohn's disease but few data are available concerning oral Beclomethasone Dipropionate. This review focuses on the available evidence of efficacy and safety of oral Beclomethasone Dipropionate in the management of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease and a possible role of this steroid in clinical practice is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology & Hepatology Unit, San Filippo Neri Hospital, Rome, Italy. f_fasci@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fascì Spurio
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aratari
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Margagnoni
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Doddato
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiesara
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019819:Budesonide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D019819:Budesonide; D001507:Beclomethasone