title: Ulcerative Colitis: Update on Medical Management.
abstract: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease whose pathogenesis is multifactorial and includes influences from genes, the environment, and the gut microbiome. Recent advances in diagnosis and treatment have led to significant improvement in managing the disease. Disease monitoring with the use of therapeutic drug monitoring, stool markers, and assessment of mucosal healing have garnered much attention. The recent approval of vedolizumab for treatment of moderate to severe UC has been a welcome addition. Newer biologics, including those targeting the Janus tyrosine kinase (JAK) pathway, are on the horizon to add to the current armamentarium of anti-TNF alpha and anti-integrin therapies. The recent publication of the SCENIC consensus statement on surveillance and management of dysplasia in UC patients supports the use of chromoendoscopy over random biopsies in detecting dysplasia. This review highlights these recent advances along with others that have been made with ulcerative colitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, Emory University, 1365 Clifton Rd. NE, Building B, Suite 1200, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA. heba.iskandar@emoryhealthcare.org.
authors.forename: Heba N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Iskandar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Digestive Diseases, Emory University, 1365 Clifton Rd. NE, Building B, Suite 1200, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Tanvi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dhere
authors.affiliation: Section of Gastroenterology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, 85 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA. francis.farraye@bmc.org.
authors.forename: Francis A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Farraye
mesh_terms: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D019468:Disease Management; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D001688:Biological Products; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; C543529:vedolizumab
keywords: Health maintenance in ulcerative colitis; Inflammatory bowel disease; New therapies in ulcerative colitis; Ulcerative colitis; Ulcerative colitis treatment