title: The effect of infliximab on patients with ulcerative colitis in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Infliximab was introduced recently as a rescue therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients refractory to conventional treatments such as therapy with 5-amiono salicylic acids (5-ASA), immune modulators, and corticosteroids. However, there is insufficient data about its efficacy and safety in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 7 tertiary referral hospitals, 33 patients who were treated with infliximab for moderate to severe (Mayo score 6-12) UC refractory to conventional treatment were recruited to this study. Clinical remission was defined as a total Mayo score of 2 or lower and every subscore less than 2. Partial response was defined as a decrease of Mayo score at least 3 points from baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three patients (69.7%) showed clinical remission and 29 patients (87.8%) showed partial response in the observation period. When the remission and non-remission groups were compared in univariate analysis, only a higher total Mayo score at base line (11.0±0.9 vs. 9.9±1.5; P=0.04) was related to remission. The remission maintenance rate decreased with time in the Kaplan-Meier analysis. Two patients experienced re-remission after the first remission followed by aggravation during infliximab treatment. Three patients stopped infliximab treatment owing to adverse events including rhabdomyolysis, pneumonia, and fever of unknown origin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If there is no choice except surgery for UC patients refractory to conventional treatment, infliximab is an effective and relatively safe treatment option for these patients in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ulsan University College of Medicine, Gangneung Asan Hospital, Gangneung, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Il
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Il
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Oh
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul Paik Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: You Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Suck-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hak
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Shin
keywords: Efficacy; Infliximab; Safety; Ulcerative colitis