Managing Ulcerative Colitis – The Guidelines and Beyond

Abstract

Management guidelines offer clinicians clear, evidence-based and often succinct treatment advice. For ulcerative colitis these guidelines describe the use of 5-ASA, corticosteroids, thiopurines, cyclosporine, and anti-TNFα therapies. However, guidelines do have some drawbacks, mainly a lack of concrete advice concerning patients resistant to these aforementioned therapies. This review gives a short overview of current guidelines and addresses treatment alternatives for conventional therapies.

Keywords

• 5-ASA
• 6-mercaptopurine
• 6-thioguanine
• Adalimumab
• Azathioprine
• Corticosteroids
• Cyclosporine
• Golimumab
• Infliximab
• Management
• Methotrexate
• Mycophenolate Mofetil
• Tacrolimus
• Therapy
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Vedolizumab