October 13th, 2009
A new study has found that patients suffering from ulcerative colitis will benefit from being treated by infliximab (Remicade). This medication, which is easily ordered from any online Canadian pharmacy, may reduce the need for surgery by almost half.
Ulcerative colitis is a form of bowel disease that causes chronic inflammation in the colon. Often, patients are forced to have a colectomy to surgically remove their large intestine.
The study was done on 728 patients for a term of 48 weeks. They were given either an ineffective placebo or the prescription drug infliximab. After one year of follow-up, researchers were able to determine that “treatment with infliximab reduced the need for colectomy by 41 percent compared to patients treated with placebo.” The study was reported by lead author and Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist Dr. William Sandborn.
The study is available in the October issue of the journal Gastroenterology at (http://www.gastrojournal.org/home).
Sandborn wrote, “One of the most feared outcomes for ulcerative colitis patients is surgical removal of the colon. Our research hopes to provide other treatment solutions for patients beyond surgery.”
More information about ulcerative colitis and treatment drugs can be found on the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/colitis/)
