Medical management of ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Initial treatment of mild to moderately active UC may be sulfasalazine, oral or rectal mesalamine, balsalazide, corticosteroid enemas, or oral corticosteroids. Patients with persistent mild to moderate symptoms of active UC in spite of these therapies (treatment-refractory) may require AZA/6-MP, and in some cases intravenous corticosteroid or transder-mal nicotine. Patients with severely active UC should be treated with intravenous conventional corticosteroids, and intravenous cyclosporine may be considered in those who do not respond. Remission should be maintained with sulfasalazine, oral or rectal mesalamine, olsalazine, or balsalazide, and in some cases with AZA/6-MP. © 2005 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.