Ulcerative colitis flair induced by mesalamine suppositories hypersensitivity

Mesalamine suppositories have been used widely for the treatment of distal ulcerative colitis and considered to be safer than systemic administration for its limited systemic absorption.However,previous studies have shown that mesalamine suppository occasionally causes severe hypersensitivity reactions including fever,rashes,colitis exacerbation and acute eosinophilic pneumonia.Here we present a 25-year-old woman with ulcerative colitis with bloody diarrhea accompanied by abdominal pain and fever which were aggravated after introduction of mesalamine suppositories.In light of symptom exacerbation of ulcerative colitis,increased inflammatory injury of colon mucosa shown by colonoscopy and elevated peripheral eosinophil count after mesalamine suppositories administration,and the Naranjo algorithm score of 10,the possibility of hypersensitivity reaction to mesalamine suppositories should be considered,warning us to be aware of this potential reaction after administration of mesalamine formulations even if it is the suppositories.

N-acetyl-L-cysteine combined with mesalamine in the treatment of ulcerative colitis: Randomized,placebo-controlled pilot study

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) co-administration with mesalamine in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients. METHODS: Thirty seven patients with mild to moderate UC were randomized to receive a four-wk course of oral mesalamine (2.4 g/d) plus N-acetyl-L-cysteine (0.8 g/d) (group A) or mesalamine plus placebo (group B). Patients were monitored using the Modified Truelove-Witts Severity Index (MTWSI). The primary endpoint was clinical remission (MTWSI ≤ 2) at 4 wk. Secondary endpoints were clinical response (defined as a reduction from baseline in the MTWSI of ≥ 2 points) and drug safety. The serum TNF-α, interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and MCP-1 were evaluated at baseline and at 4 wk of treatment. RESULTS: Analysis per-protocol criteria showed clinical remission rates of 63% and 50% after 4 wk treatment with mesalamine plus N-acetyl-L-cysteine (group A) and mesalamine plus placebo (group B) respectively (OR = 1.71; 95% CI: 0.46 to 6.36; P = 0.19; NNT = 7.7). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of data indicated a significant reduction of MTWSI in group A (P = 0.046) with respect to basal condition without significant changes in the group B (P = 0.735) during treatment. Clinical responses were 66% (group A) vs 44% (group B) after 4 wk of treatment (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 0.64 to 9.65; P = 0.11; NNT = 4.5). Clinical improvement in group A correlated with a decrease of IL-8 and MCP-1. Rates of adverse events did not differ significantly between both groups. CONCLUSION: In group A (oral NAC combined with mesalamine) contrarily to group B (mesalamine alone), the clinical improvement correlates with a decrease of chemokines such as MCP-1 and IL-8. NAC addition not produced any side effects.

Isolated fever induced by mesalamine treatment

Adverse reactions to mesalamine,a treatment used to induce and maintain remission in inflammatory bowel diseases,particularly ulcerative colitis,have been described in the literature as case reports.This case illustrates an unusual adverse reaction.Our patient developed an isolated fever of unexplained etiology,which was found to be related to mesalamine treatment.A 22-year-old patient diagnosed with ulcerative colitis developed a fever with rigors and anorexia 10 d after starting oral mesalamine while his colitis was clinically resolving.Testing revealed no infection.A mesalamineinduced fever was considered,and treatment was stopped,which led to spontaneous resolution of the fever.The diagnosis was confirmed by reintroducing the mesalamine.One year later,this side effect was noticed again in the same patient after he was administered topical mesalamine.This reaction to mesalamine seems to be idiosyncratic,and the mechanism that induces fever remains unclear.Fever encountered in the course of a mesalamine treatment in ulcerative colitis must be considered a mesalamine-induced fever when it cannot be explained by the disease activity,an associated extraintestinal manifestation,or an infectious etiology.

Mesalamine hypersensitivity and Kounis syndrome in a pediatric ulcerative colitis patient

5-aminosalicylic acid （mesalamine） rarely induces hyper- sensitivity reactions. If chest pain associated with atypical electrocardiographic changes are seen during its administration, one should always bear in mind type I variant of Kounis syndrome. This variant includes patients, of any age, with normal coronary arteries, without predisposing factors for coronary artery disease, in whom the acute release of inflammatory mediators from mast cells can induce either sudden coronary artery narrowing, without increase of cardiac enzymes and troponins, or coronary artery spasm that progresses to acute myocardial infarction, with elevated cardiac enzymes and troponins.

Mesalamine induced symptom exacerbation of ulcerative colitis: Case report and brief discussion

This paper describes a rare case in which the oral ad-ministration of mesalamine resulted in the exacerbation of ulcerative colitis (UC) in a patient who was previously responsive to mesalamine and whose colitis had been in remission for eight years. Mesalamine and other 5-ami-nosalicylic acid compounds are the mainstay of treatment for UC; however up to 8% of patients are unable to take the medications due to intolerance or hypersensitivity reactions. Common drug reactions are fever, nausea, di-arrhea and abdominal pain; however, exacerbation of UC has rarely been reported. This study highlights the impor-tance of ruling out mesalamine as the causative agent in cases of UC exacerbations.

Individually administered or co-prescribed thiopurines and mesalamines for inflammatory bowel disease

Data from both basic research and clinical experience continue to suggest that mesalamines and thioputines are effective and efficient for the maintenance of remission of inflammatory bowel diseases. Several decades following the formalization of their indications, attention on these two drugs has been fostered by recent achievements. Demonstration of the ability of mesalamine to activate a colonocyte differentiation factor has shed light on its chemopreventive effects on colorectal cancer; in addition to their anti-proliferative efficacy, thiopurines have been shown to be specific regulators of apoptosis. The two drugs are often coadministered in clinical practice. Recent advancements have shown that mesalamines exert a positive synergism in this context, insofar as they can inhibit sidemethylation of thiopurines and hasten the function of the main immunosuppressive pathways. Considering that up to 40% of patients cannot tolerate thiopurines, such renovated targets have stimulated efforts to improve compliance by research on the toxicity mechanisms. The definition of genetic polymorphisms in the enzymes of thiopurine metabolism, and the uncovering of synergistic drug interactions, such as that with allopurinol, are just two of the results of such efforts. Interaction between basic research and clinical practice has continued to inform indications and refine the prescriptions of mesalamines and thiopurines; these have not been restrained （they have been implemented in some cases） by the advent of the novel biological molecules with anti-cytokine activity.

Delayed-release oral mesalamine tablet mimicking a small jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumor:A case report

BACKGROUND Enteric-coated medications are supposed to pass intact through the gastric environment and to release the drug content into the small intestine or the colon.Before dissolution of the enteric coating,they may appear hyperdense on computed tomography(CT).Unfortunately,few reports have been published on this topic so far.In this case report,the hyperdense appearance on contrastenhanced CT of an enteric-coated mesalamine tablet was initially misinterpreted as a jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST).CASE SUMMARY An asymptomatic 81-year-old male patient,who had undergone laparoscopic right nephrectomy four years earlier for stage 1 renal carcinoma,was diagnosed with a jejunal GIST at the 4-year follow-up thoraco-abdominal CT scan.He was referred to our hub hospital for gastroenterological evaluation,and subsequently underwent 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography,abdominal magnetic resonance imaging,and video capsule endoscopy.None of these examinations detected any lesion of the small intestine.After reviewing all the CT images in a multidisciplinary setting,the panel estimated that the hyperdense jejunal image was consistent with a tablet rather than a GIST.The tablet was an 800 mg delayed-release enteric-coated oral mesalamine tablet(Asacol®),which had been prescribed for non-specific colitis,while not informing the hospital physicians.CONCLUSION Delayed-release oral mesalamine(Asacol®),like other enteric-coated medications,can appear as a hyperdense image on a CT scan,mimicking a small intestinal GIST.Therefore,adetailed knowledge of the patients’medications and a multidisciplinary review of the images areessential.

Mesalamine treatment mimicking relapse in a child with ulcerative colitis

Background:There are reports on mesalamine-induced bloody diarrhea mimicking ulcerative colitis(UC)relapse,mostly in adults.Methods:Herein we present a case of a child with UC who developed relapse of hemorrhagic colitis related to mesalamine.Results:A 10-year-old girl developed severe symptoms mimicking UC relapse 3 weeks after introduction of mesalamine therapy.After mesalamine was withdrawn,her symptoms improved,but deteriorated again during the challenge of mesalamine despite concomitant use of corticosteroids.Conclusion:This is the fi rst case report on such a young child during the concomitant use of corticosteroids.

Conventional therapy for moderate to severe inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic literature review

BACKGROUND Despite the advent of biological drugs, conventional therapy continues to be used in moderate to severe inflammatory bowel disease(MS-IBD). This study hypothesized that as a standard of treatment and the primary alternative to biologics, conventional therapy should present robust effectiveness results in IBD outcomes.AIM To investigate the effectiveness of conventional therapy for MS-IBD.METHODS A systematic review with no time limit was conducted in July 2017 through the Cochrane Collaboration, MEDLINE, and LILACS databases. The inclusion criteria encompassed meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, observational and case-control studies concerning conventional therapy in adult patients with MS-IBD, including Crohn's disease(CD) and ulcerative colitis(UC). Corticosteroids(prednisone, hydrocortisone, budesonide, prednisolone,dexamethasone), 5-aminosalicylic acid(5-ASA) derivatives(mesalazine and sulfasalazine) and immunosuppressants [azathioprine(AZA), methotrexate(MTX), mycophenolate, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, 6-mercaptopurine(6-MP)] were considered conventional therapy. The exclusion criteria were sample size below50; narrative reviews; specific subpopulations(e.g., pregnant women,comorbidities); studies on postoperative IBD; and languages other than English,Spanish, French or Portuguese. The primary outcome measures were clinical remission(induction or maintenance), clinical response and mucosal healing. As secondary outcomes, fecal calprotectin, hospitalization, death, and surgeries were analyzed. The quality of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria.RESULTS The search strategy identified 1995 citations, of which 27 were considered eligible(7 meta-analyses, 20 individual studies). For induction of clinical remission, four meta-analyses were selected(AZA and 6-MP showed no advantage over placebo,MTX or 5-ASA in CD; MTX showed no statistically significant difference versus placebo, 6-MP, or 5-ASA in UC; tacrolimus was superior to placebo for UC in two meta-analyses). Only one meta-analysis evaluated clinical remission maintenance, showing no statistically significant difference between MTX and placebo, 5-ASA, or 6-MP in UC. AZA and 6-MP had no advantage over placebo in induction of clinical response in CD. Three meta-analyses showed the superiority of tacrolimus vs placebo for induction of clinical response in UC. The clinical response rates for cyclosporine were 41.7% in randomized controlled trials(RCTs) and 55.4% in non-RCTs for UC. For induction of mucosal healing,one meta-analysis showed a favorable rate with tacrolimus versus placebo for UC. For secondary outcomes, no meta-analyses specifically evaluated fecal calprotectin, hospitalization or death. Two meta-analyses were retrieved evaluating colectomy rates for tacrolimus and cyclosporine in UC. Most of the twenty individual studies retrieved contained a low or very low quality of evidence.CONCLUSION High-quality evidence assessing conventional therapy in MS-IBD treatment is scarce, especially for remission maintenance, mucosal healing and fecal calprotectin.

Severe chest pain in a pediatric ulcerative colitis patient after 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy

Severe reactions to mesalamine products are rarely seen in pediatric patients. We report a case of a 12-year-old boy who had a severe cardiac reaction to a mesalamine product Asacol. Past medical history is significant for ulcerative colitis (UC) diagnosed at 9 years of age. Colo- noscopy one week prior to admission revealed pancoli- tis. He was treated with Asacol 800 mg three times per day and prednisone 20 mg/d. He was subsequently ad- mitted to the hospital for an exacerbation of his UC and started on intravenous solumedrol. He had improvement of his abdominal pain and diarrhea. The patient com- plained of new onset of chest pain upon initiating Asacol therapy. Electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed non-specific ST-T wave changes with T-wave inversion in the lateral leads. Echocardiogram (ECHO) revealed low-normal to mildly depressed left ventricular systolic function. The left main coronary artery and left anterior descending artery were mildly prominent measuring 5 mm and 4.7 mm, respectively. His chest pain completely resolved within 24-36 h of discontinuing Asacol. A repeat echo- cardiogram performed two days later revealed normal left ventricular function with normal coronary arteries (< 3.5 mm). Onset of chest pain after Asacol and im- mediate improvement of chest pain, as well as improve- ment of echocardiogram and ECG findings after discon- tinuing Asacol suggests that our patient suffered from a rare drug-hypersensitivity reaction to Asacol.

Management of diverticular disease is changing

Diverticular disease of the colon is primarily a disease of humans living in westernized and industrialized countries. Sixty percent of humans living in industrialized countries will develop colonic diverticula. It is rare before the age of 40, but more prone to complications when it occurs in the young. By age 80, over 65% of humans have colonic diverticula. The cause remains uncertain, but epidemiologic studies attribute it to dietary fiber deficiency. The cause of diverticulitis remains uncertain, but new observations and hypotheses suggest that it is due to chronic inflammation in the bowel wall. Standard medical therapies of bowel rest and antibiotics are still the recommended treatment. However, changing concepts and new therapies indicate that anti-inflammatory agents such as mesalamine and possibly probiotics may be helpful in shortening the course and perhaps preventing recurrences. Standard surgical treatment for perforation for severe acute disease has developed so that two-stage procedures are recommended. In addition, laparoscopic surgery has proven safe and may slowly become the technique of choice.

Noninfectious interstitial lung disease during infliximab therapy:Case report and literature review

Pulmonary abnormalities are not frequently encountered in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases.However,lung toxicity can be induced by conventional medications used to maintain remission,and similar evidence is also emerging for biologics.We present the case of a young woman affected by colonic Crohn’s disease who was treated with oral mesalamine and became steroid-dependent and refractory to azathioprine and adalimumab.She was referred to our clinic with a severe relapse and was treated with infliximab,an antitumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)antibody,to induce remission.After an initial benefit,with decreases in bowel movements,rectal bleeding and C-reactive protein levels,she experienced shortness of breath after the 5thinfusion.Noninfectious interstitial lung disease was diagnosed.Both mesalamine and infliximab were discontinued,and steroids were introduced with slow but progressive improvement of symptoms,radiology and functional tests.This represents a rare case of interstitial lung disease associated with infliximab therapy and the effect of drug withdrawal on these lung alterations.Given the increasing use of anti-TNF-α therapies and the increasing reports of pulmonary abnormalities in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases,this case underlines the importance of a careful evaluation of respiratory symptoms in patients undergoing infliximab therapy.

5-ASA in ulcerative colitis:Improving treatment compliance

5-aminosalicylic acid(5-ASA)compounds are a highly effective treatment for ulcerative colitis(UC).While UC patient compliance in clinical studies is over 90%, only 40%of patients in every day life take their prescribed therapy.Adherence to medication has been emphasized recently by a Cochrane meta-analysis that has suggested that future trials of 5-ASA in UC should look at patient compliance rather than drug efficacy. Better compliance can be obtained by reducing the number of tablets and times of administration.Given that the 5-ASA formulations have different delivery systems that split the active moiety in various regions of the intestine,it is particularly important that an adequate dose of the drug arrives at the inflamed part of the colon.5-ASA Multi matrix(MMx)is a novel,high strength(1.2 g),oral formulation designed for oncedaily dosing.It releases the active moiety throughout the colon.Different studies with this compound have shown that it is as effective as 5-ASA enema in the treatment of mild-to-moderate,left-sided UC,and is comparable to a pH-dependent,delayed release 5-ASA (Asacol ),even if given once daily.Recently,the effectiveness in the acute phase of UC has been confirmed also in maintenance.In conclusion,at present,5-ASA MMx seems theoretically the best agent for maintaining patient compliance,and consequently,treatment effectiveness.

Low dose oral curcumin is not effective in induction of remission in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis: Results from a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial

AIM To evaluate the role of oral curcumin in inducing clinical remission in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis(UC).METHODS A prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial comparing the remission inducing effect of oral curcumin and mesalamine 2.4 g with placebo and mesalamine 2.4 g in patients of ulcerative colitis with mild to moderate severity was conducted from January 2003 to March 2005. The included patients received 1 capsule thrice a day of placebo or curcumin(150 mg) for 8 wk. Patients were evaluated clinically and endoscopically at 0,4 and 8 wk. The primary outcome was clinical remission at 8 wk and secondary outcomes were clinical response, mucosal healing and treatment failure at 8 wk. The primary analysis was intention to treat worst case scenario(ITT-WCS).RESULTS Of 300 patients with UC, 62 patients(curcumin: 29, placebo: 33) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were randomized at baseline. Of these, 21 patients did not complete the trial, 41 patients(curcumin: 16, placebo: 25) finally completed 8 wk. There was no significant difference in rates of clinical remission(31.3% vs 27.3%, P = 0.75), clinical response(20.7% vs 36.4%, P = 0.18), mucosal healing(34.5% vs 30.3%, P = 0.72), and treatment failure(25% vs 18.5%, P = 0.59) between curcumin and placebo at 8 wk.CONCLUSION Low dose oral curcumin at a dose of 450 mg/d was ineffective in inducing remission in mild to moderate cases of UC.

Nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis in an ulcerative colitis patient-a putative adverse reaction to mesalazine:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Lung and airway involvement in inflammatory bowel disease are increasingly frequently reported either as an extraintestinal manifestation or as an adverse effect of therapy.CASE SUMMARY We report a case of a patient with ulcerative colitis controlled under mesalazine treatment who presented with chronic cough and hemoptysis.Chest computed tomography and bronchoscopy findings supported tracheal involvement in ulcerative colitis;pathology examination demonstrated an unusual eosinophilrich inflammatory pattern,and together with clinical data,a nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis diagnosis was formulated.Full recovery was observed within days of mesalazine discontinuation.CONCLUSION Mesalazine-induced eosinophilic respiratory disorders have been previously reported,generally involving the lung parenchyma.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first report of mesalamine-induced eosinophilic involvement in the upper airway.

Diagnosis of acute intermittent porphyria in a renal transplant patient:A case report

BACKGROUND Acute intermittent porphyria(AIP)is an inherited disorder of porphyrin metabolism with a worldwide distribution and a prevalence ranging from 1 to 9 per million population.AIP is caused by an autosomal dominant-inherited mutation of low penetrance resulting in a deficiency of porphobilinogen deaminase(PBGD)activity.Acute attacks are provoked by stressors such as certain medications,alcohol,and infection.We herein present the first case report of AIP detected in a post-renal transplant patient.CASE SUMMARY The patient was a 65-year-old man who underwent transplantation 2 years previously for suspected nephroangiosclerosis and chronic interstitial nephropathy.He subsequently developed diabetes mellitus which required insulin therapy.He had been treated in the recent past with local mesalamine for proctitis.He presented with classic but common symptoms of AIP including intense abdominal pain,hypertension,and anxiety.He had multiple visits to the emergency room over a 6-mo period for these same symptoms before the diagnosis of AIP was entertained.His urinary postprandial blood glucose level was 60 mg/24 h(normal,<2 mg/24 h).He was placed on a high carbohydrate diet,and his symptoms slowly improved.CONCLUSION This case report describes a common presentation of an uncommon disease,in which post-transplant complications and medications may have contributed to precipitating the previously undiagnosed AIP.We hypothesize that the lowcarbohydrate diet and insulin with which our patient was treated may have led to the attacks of AIP.Alternatively,our patient’s mesalamine treatment for proctitis may have led to an acute AIP crisis.A high index of suspicion is needed to consider the diagnosis of a heme synthesis disorder,which presents with the common symptoms of abdominal pain,high blood pressure,and anxiety.

Mesalazine preparations for the treatment of ulcerative colitis: Are all created equal?

Oral mesalazine(also known as mesalamine) is a 5-aminosalicylic acid compound used in the treatment of mild to moderate ulcerative colitis, with high rates of efficacy in induction and maintenance of remission.The therapeutic effect of mesalazine occurs topically at the site of diseased colonic mucosa. A myriad of oral mesalazine preparations have been formulated with various drug delivery methods to minimize systemic absorption and maximise drug availability at the inflamed colonic epithelium. It remains unclear whether different oral mesalazine formulations are bioequivalent. This review aims to evaluate the differences between mesalazine formulations based on the currently available literature and explore factors which may influence the selection of one agent above another.

Efficacy of Wumei Baijiang prescription(乌梅败酱方)on regulatory T cells/helper T cells Immune balance in mice with ulcerative colitis

OBJECTIVE:To observe the therapeutic effect of Wumei Baijiang prescription(乌梅败酱方),empirical prescription of Lu Zhizheng,on experimental ulcerative colitis(UC)mice,and to investigate the mechanism of the prescription in UC from the perspective of the immune balance of regulatory T cells(Treg)and helper T cells(Th17).METHODS:Sixty C57 BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups:normal group,model group,Chinese medicine group(high,medium and low dose group of Wumei Baijiang prescription)and control group(mesalazine sustained-release granules).Except for the normal group,the other groups used 2.5%dextran sulfate sodium to induce UC mice model.At the end of the model,the Chinese medicine group was given high,medium and low dose administration of Wumei Baijiang prescription,the control group was given slow-release granules of mesalazine,and the model group was given equal volume saline for 10 d.The changes of food intake,body weight,disease activity index(DAI)score,length of large intestine and histopathology were observed.The number of Treg,Th17,CD4+,CD8+cells in spleen was detected by flow cytometry.The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-10(IL-10)and C-reactive protein(CRP)in serum was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS:The middle and high-dose groups of Wumei Baijiang prescription were superior to the model group in terms of increasing food intake and body weight of colitis mice,restoring colon morphology,improving pathological damage,and reducing DAI(P<0.05).There was no statistical difference with the mesalazine group(P>0.05).Compared with the model group,the spleen Treg and CD4+of the mice in the high and middle dose groups of Wumei Baijiang prescription were higher,while Th17 and CD8+were lower(P<0.05),and there was no statistical difference compared with the mesalazine group(P>0.05).In addition,compared with the model group,the serum levels of TNF-αand CRP in mice with high and middle doses of Wumei Baijiang prescription and mesalazine group were lower(P<0.05),and IL-10 content was higher(P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS:Wumei Baijiang prescription can improve the general conditions of colitis mice,such as diarrhea,hematochezia,weight loss,and mucosal damage.The mechanism may be related to the regulation of Treg/Th17 immune balance.