High-dose intravenous cyclosporine in steroid refractory attacks of inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determin whether cyclosporine is effective in inducing remission in patients with severe active inflammatory bowel disease, refrac tory to steroids. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-three patients with severe and steroid-refractory infla mmatory bowel disease (15 ulcerative colitis and 8 Crohn's disease) were in cluded. The Mayo Clinic Score and the CDAI: were used to evaluate activity. Cyclosporine (4mg/kg/day) was administered for a maximum of ten and a mini mum of 7 days. RESULTS: Ten of the 15 ulcerative colitis patients achieved remission with a mean response lag time to onset improvement of 8 days. Seven of these pat ients remained stable with mesalazine 4 months after cyclosporine treatment . Two patients relapsed and underwent colectomy on the 50th and 200th day a fter treatment. Five patients presented no response and required urgent col ectomy. Six of the 8 Crohn's disease patients achieved remission With a mea n response lag time to onset improvement of 7 days. The 6 patients remained stable with mesalazine four months after cyclosporine treatment. The other 2 developed reversible renal failure and had to be released from the study . CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous high dose cyclosporine is effective and can be use d as a rapid onset treatment for acute steroid refractory IBD.