Budesonide foam as a new therapeutic concept in the therapy of distal ulcerative colitis in comparison to mesalazine enemas. An open, controlled, randomized and prospective multicenter pilot study
W. Rufle et al., Budesonide foam as a new therapeutic concept in the therapy of distal ulcerative colitis in comparison to mesalazine enemas. An open, controlled, randomized and prospective multicenter pilot study, Z GASTROENT, 38(4), 2000, pp. 287-293
Budesonide is a locally acting steroid with a high first-pass metabolism in
the liver and low systemic effects. We performed the first pilot study com
paring budesonide foam (1 mg/50 ml b.i.d.) with mesalazine enemas (4 g/60 m
l o.d.). 33 patients from 3 centres were enrolled in this open randomized c
linical trial. 16 patients got budesonide foam and 17 got mesalazine enemas
. The drugs were administered for 4 weeks. Histological index (HI) and endo
scopic index (EI) were assessed at day 1 and day 28, clinical activity inde
x (CAI) at day 1, 14 and 28. For patients with left-sided colitis and proct
osigmoiditis improvement was defined as decrease in CAI of greater than or
equal to 2 points. For patients with proctitis improvement was defined as d
ecrease in HI of greater than or equal to 1 point. The primary efficacy eva
luation was performed with the intention to treat population (n = 32). Impr
ovement was found in 67% of the patients in the budesonide group compared t
o 71% in the mesalazine group. There was no statistically significant diffe
rence between the groups. Adverse events were mild and rare in both groups.
Both treatments had no significant influence on plasma cortisol. In this p
ilot study for distal ulcerative colitis budesonide foam is as safe and eff
ective as mesalazine enema.