Intest Res.  2014 Jul;12(3):214-220. 10.5217/ir.2014.12.3.214.

The Effect of Infliximab on Patients with Ulcerative Colitis in Korea

• Seo HI
• Park DI
• Kim TO
• Kim YS
• Lee SH
• Kim JW
• Kim JH
• Shin JE

• KMID: 2174380
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2014.12.3.214

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
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.

Keyword

Ulcerative colitis; Infliximab; Efficacy; Safety

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Colitis, Ulcerative*
Fever of Unknown Origin
Humans
Infliximab
Kaplan-Meier Estimate
Korea
Pneumonia
Rhabdomyolysis
Salicylates
Salicylic Acid
Tertiary Care Centers
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
Salicylates
Salicylic Acid

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A schematic clinical course of patients. Schematic overview of the clinical course of UC in the study patients during the observation period, regardless of the number of infliximab injections. The dichotomous status of UC is shown as in remission (+) or not (-).

• 

  Fig. 2 Kaplan-Meier graph of cumulative remission. The graph shows progressive decrease in cumulative remission rate with time during infliximab treatment.

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