Nuevos tratamientos y aproximaciones diagnósticas en la colitis ulcerosa

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with periods of flares and remission. The main symptom is rectorrhagia. The aim of medical treatment is to induce and maintain clinical remission. At the last congress of the American Gastroenterological Association: Digestive Diseases Week (DDW) in 2006, new data were presented on salicylates, the ASCEND I&II studies evaluating the new formulation of mesalazine, and prebiotics. Also presented were various findings related to cyclosporin and infliximab therapy in severe steroid-refractory flares, such as an early response - which is greater with infliximab - and late response. The factors associated with the possible lack of response to corticoids were analyzed. Several studies evaluating the efficacy of granulocytapheresis in ulcerative colitis, including its use as an alternative to corticoids, were presented.