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Effects of oral tacrolimus as a rapid induction therapy in ulcerative colitis.
World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Feb 14;21(6):1880-6
Authors: Kawakami K, Inoue T, Murano M, Narabayashi K, Nouda S, Ishida K, Abe Y, Nogami K, Hida N, Yamagami H, Watanabe K, Umegaki E, Nakamura S, Arakawa T, Higuchi K
Abstract
AIM: To determine the efficacy and safety of rapid induction therapy with oral tacrolimus without a meal in steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis (UC) patients.
METHODS: This was a prospective, multicenter, observational study. Between May 2010 and August 2012, 49 steroid-refractory UC patients (55 flare-ups) were consecutively enrolled. All patients were treated with oral tacrolimus without a meal at an initial dose of 0.1 mg/kg per day. The dose was adjusted to maintain trough whole-blood levels of 10-15 ng/mL for the first 2 wk. Induction of remission at 2 and 4 wk after tacrolimus treatment initiation was evaluated using Lichtiger's clinical activity index (CAI).
RESULTS: The mean CAI was 12.6 ± 3.6 at onset. Within the first 7 d, 93.5% of patients maintained high trough levels (10-15 ng/mL). The CAI significantly decreased beginning 2 d after treatment initiation. At 2 wk, 73.1% of patients experienced clinical responses. After tacrolimus initiation, 31.4% and 75.6% of patients achieved clinical remission at 2 and 4 wk, respectively. Treatment was well tolerated.
CONCLUSION: Rapid induction therapy with oral tacrolimus shortened the time to achievement of appropriate trough levels and demonstrated a high remission rate 28 d after treatment initiation. Rapid induction therapy with oral tacrolimus appears to be a useful therapy for the treatment of refractory UC.
PMID: 25684955 [PubMed - in process]