Colonic oncostatin M expression evaluated by immunohistochemistry and infliximab therapy outcome in corticosteroid-refractory acute severe ulcerative colitis

Abstract

<p>Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic relapsing remitting inflammatory disease of the colon. The lifetime risk of presentation with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is 15%.¹ Patients with ASUC receive first line therapy with intravenous corticosteroids, however, approximately 30% have corticosteroid-refractory disease.²,3 In this situation, rescue medical therapy options include the anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) monoclonal antibody infliximab (IFX) or the calcineurin inhibitor ciclosporin.² A significant proportion of patients fail to respond to IFX therapy with reported colectomy rates at 1 year of 35%.⁴ Biomarkers which identify patients with corticosteroid-refractory ASUC, with a reduced likelihood of IFX response, would significantly advance clinical care for these patients.</p>