Category Archives: Ulcerative Colitis

May 18, 2017 A total of 510 patients with mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis took part in the randomized, placebo-controlled trial Salix announced the publication of study data for budesonide multimatrix (MMX), also known as Uceris extended-release tablets, in theJournal of Crohn's & Colitis. In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study, budesonide MMX was evaluated for the induction of remission in 510 patients withmild to moderate ulcerative colitis (UC)refractory to baseline mesalamine therapy. Study patients were randomized to oral budesonide MMX 9mg daily or placebo for 8 weeks. Baseline treatment with oral mesalamine 2.4g daily was continued. Clinical remission was defined as UC disease activity index rectal bleeding and stool frequency subscale scores of 0. Endoscopic remission was defined as UC disease activity index mucosal appearance subscale score of 0. At Week 8, combined clinical and endoscopic remission was obtained in 13.0% of budesonide MMX patients vs. 7.5% of placebo patients in the modified intent-to-treat population (P=0.049). Clinical remission was similar for both study arms (P=0.70). More patients in the budesonide MMX group vs. the patients in the placebo group achieved endoscopic remission (20.0% vs. 12.3%;P=0.02) and histological healing (27.0% vs. 17.5%;P=0.02). Study authors reported that the rates of adverse events were … Continue reading →

1. Patients with active ulcerative colitis who failed prior treatment achieved significantly greater remission of disease and mucosal healing compared to those treated with placebo. 2. Remission of ulcerative colitis symptoms over 1 year was significantly greater for patients who initially responded to tofacitinib and continued therapy compared to patients who responded and then were treated with a placebo. Evidence Rating: 1 (Excellent) Study Rundown: Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory condition of the colon. The condition is difficult to treat despite an array of therapies available. Janus kinase (JAK) receptors are involved in many intracellular immune pathways associated with inflammatory bowel disease, therefore JAK inhibitors may prove useful in treatment of ulcerative colitis. Prior phase 2 trials indicated tofacitinib, a JAK inhibitor, can induce remission of ulcerative colitis. In three phase 3 trials, tofacitinib was further evaluated as an induction and maintenance treatment for patients with ulcerative colitis. The studies randomized patients with moderate to severe active ulcerative colitis into treatment and placebo groups. In the first 2 studies (OCTAVE 1 and 2), patients received 10 mg of tofacitinib twice a day or a placebo for 8 weeks. At 8 weeks, treated patients were significantly more likely to have achieved … Continue reading →

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Ulcerative Colitis Market and Forecast Analysis" report to their offering. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that is characterized by inappropriate diffuse inflammation of the rectal and colonic mucosa, which occurs in the innermost layer of the intestinal lining. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic, incurable disease with low mortality that is generally diagnosed in adolescence and early adulthood. Ulcerative colitis is currently an idiopathic condition, the pathogenesis of which is yet to be fully elucidated. However, it is known to involve an interaction between genetics, the immune system, and environmental factors. Risk factors include ethnicity, family history, antibiotic or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent use, and diet. Incidence and prevalence have been increasing over the past two decades in most regions of the world. It is estimated that in 2015, there were 2.1 million diagnosed prevalent cases of ulcerative colitis in the US, Japan, and five major EU markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK). Over 2015-35, the number of prevalent cases is expected to increase to 2.5 million (16.6% increase). Key Topics Covered: 1. Treatment: Ulcerative Colitis 2. Epidemiology: Ulcerative Colitis 3. Marketed Drugs: Ulcerative Colitis 4. Pipeline: … Continue reading →

Not even through his first year of high-school baseball, Nate Clow has already committed to Washington. Theres just something about baseball. At age 2, Nate Clow attended his first Mariners game and sat in the stands without speaking or fidgeting, watching the entire game. By middle school, his bedroom was covered with every MLB teams pennant, photos of legends and an embarrassing amount of Ichiro bobblehead dolls. Now a freshman at Todd Beamer, Clow turned the passion into a starting spot on the varsity baseball team. Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Jake Lamb is a favorite player, Clow studying the swing of the fellow lefty from Seattle before every game. Lately, another player has become a favorite of Clows Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jake Diekman. Odd for Clow, a hitter so skilled he verbally committed to the University of Washington just as Lamb did. But what you cant tell about Clow is he suffers from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease where the bodys own immune system attacks the normal gut bacteria in the large intestine, causing inflammation and ulcerations. In 2015, Diekman publicly acknowledged his 19-year battle with the incurable disease. When Im in a flare (up), I know hes gone … Continue reading →

Distance running is, by definition, overcoming physical discomfort with mental strength. But there is a line between running through pain and the body actually needing medical attention. Colorado All-American Ben Saarel was not afraid to speak up when his body failed him. The decision to be proactive has saved his health and, consequently, his running career. "I think everyone has their own struggles. The best people that I've met in the running community ask, 'What can I do and how much can I get done on this particular day?'" Saarel told FloTrack. "They're just tenacious when it comes to taking care of their bodies. The best people find ways to stay positive." This Friday, Saarel will be competing in the 800m at the Payton Jordan Invitational. Almost exactly three years earlier, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a bowel disease that causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract. Depending on the case, ulcerative colitis can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. "I could tell I was losing a lot of blood, and when I looked in the mirror, I was just pale," Saarel said. "You wake up, you're tired. You go to bed, you're tired. You're just tired all … Continue reading →

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, May 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A new study finds that people with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis who haven't done well on other treatments may find relief with Xeljanz (tofacitinib), a drug currently used to treat arthritis. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. It affects about 700,000 Americans, according to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation (CCF). The illness causes inflammation, irritation, swelling and sores on the lining of the large intestine. Symptoms include diarrhea with blood or pus and abdominal discomfort, according to CCF. "There is still a substantial unmet need for new treatments for patients with ulcerative colitis," said study lead author Dr. William Sandborn. He is professor of medicine and chief of the division of gastroenterology at the University of California, San Diego. Xeljanz targets certain proteins involved in the body's inflammatory and immune responses that other so-called biologic drugs don't, the researchers said. "Treatment with oral tofacitinib is potentially a new treatment option for patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, pending review by the [U.S. Food and Drug Administration]," Sandborn said. The study was funded by Pfizer, Inc., the maker of Xeljanz. Sandborn said he has received … Continue reading →

GETTY In ulcerative colitis, tiny ulcers develop on the surface of the lining of the large bowel. Ulcerative colitis only affects the colon (large intestine) but Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus. Charity Crohns and Colitis UK said: Its estimated that UC affects about one in every 420 people in the UK - roughly 146,000 people. The inflammation usually begins in the rectum and lower colon, but it may affect the entire colon. If ulcerative colitis only affects the rectum, it is called proctitis, while if it affects the whole colon it may be called total colitis or pancolitis. GETTY Although symptoms will vary between sufferers, the main symptoms of ulcerative colitis are: Recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, mucus or pus Abbdominal (tummy) pain Needing to empty your bowels frequently Anaemia (a reduced level of red blood cells). Loss of appetite and weight loss Ulcerative Colitis is a chronic condition - which means that it is ongoing. It is believed to be an auto-immune condition which mens the immune system - the bodys defence against infection - can go wrong and attack healthy tissue. As yet there is no … Continue reading →

(Reuters Health) - Weekly yoga sessions may be associated with a better quality of life for patients with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can be exacerbated by stress, a small study suggests. People with ulcerative colitis have inflammation in the lining of the large intestine that can lead to symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain. When symptoms are severe, patients may have sudden loose or bloody stools so often that it impairs their ability to navigate normal daily activities like going to school or work. Researchers studied 77 ulcerative colitis patients who reported a reduced quality of life due to the disease even though their symptoms were clinically in remission. They randomly assigned participants to receive either 12 weekly yoga sessions or written self-care advice and found the yoga group had greater improvements in quality of life. It seems to be safe and effective, so it is surely worth trying yoga as an add-on to other evidence-based interventions at least for maintenance of remission, said lead study author Dr. Holger Cramer, a researcher at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. It definitely should not be used as a replacement but rather as an ancillary intervention, Cramer said … Continue reading →

Weekly yoga sessions may be associated with a better quality of life for patients with ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can be exacerbated by stress, a small study suggests. People with ulcerative colitis have inflammation in the lining of the large intestine that can lead to symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain. When symptoms are severe, patients may have sudden loose or bloody stools so often that it impairs their ability to navigate normal daily activities like going to school or work. Researchers studied 77 ulcerative colitis patients who reported a reduced quality of life due to the disease even though their symptoms were clinically in remission. They randomly assigned participants to receive either 12 weekly yoga sessions or written self-care advice and found the yoga group had greater improvements in quality of life. It seems to be safe and effective, so it is surely worth trying yoga as an add-on to other evidence-based interventions at least for maintenance of remission, said lead study author Dr. Holger Cramer, a researcher at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. It definitely should not be used as a replacement but rather as an ancillary intervention, Cramer said by email. Thats … Continue reading →

A single transplant of microbes contained in the stool of a healthy donor is a safe and effective way to increase diversity of good bacteria in the guts of patients with ulcerative colitis, according to new research from Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian. The findings suggest that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) might be an effective treatment for the disease, which causes inflammation and ulcers in the digestive tract. Fecal microbiota transplantation is a procedure in which fecal matter -- which is full of bacteria from the gut -- is collected from a healthy donor, strained and placed in the colon of a patient with inflammatory bowel disease. "The idea is that you can change someone's microbiome, the organisms that colonize the gut," said Dr. Randy Longman, an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and a gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. "We introduce good bacteria into the intestines of someone with the disease and hope that it encourages healing." FMT has been proven effective for patients with Clostridium difficile, a serious bacterial infection of the intestines, but questions remain about its effectiveness as a treatment for other diseases. In a study published April 26 in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, … Continue reading →