Mucosal biopsy in ulcerative colitis for evaluating topical hydrocortisone therapy

Summary and Conclusion

Clinical findings in this study showed that topical administration of 10 per cent hydrocortisone foam was usually advantageous in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. However, patients who also received Azulfidine by mouth did better than patients treated by topical steroids exclusively. Sometimes symptoms recurred, but in most cases the results were considered good. Of the 50 patients treated, the clinical responses in 38 were considered successful.

On the basis of sigmoidoscopy, 18 of 50 patients in this study were “cured,” whereas only six were “cured” on the basis of mucosal biopsy.

It might be expected that patients having rectal involvement only would respond better clinically than those having involvement of the entire colon. This was not the case, however, as the clinical responses were identical in the two groups.