Top stories in gastroenterology: Budesonide tablets effective for eosinophilic esophagitis, Stelara achieves clinical remission of ulcerative colitis

Among the top stories in gastroenterology last week were trial results that revealed patients who received budesonide orodispersible tablets as induction therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis achieved better rates of clinical and histologic remission compared with placebo and data that suggested Stelara helped patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis achieve clinical remission and maintain a clinical response through 44 weeks.

Other highlights included a study that found one-third of patients with inflammatory bowel disease receive drugs with off-label prescriptions, research that suggested eosinophilic esophagitis and inflammatory bowel disease have a connection in which patients with one are at higher risk for the other and a study that indicated patients with inflammatory bowel disease who received their biologic medication in home infusions rather than at a hospital experienced more adverse outcomes.

Budesonide tablets effective for eosinophilic esophagitis induction

A recent placebo-controlled trial revealed that patients who received budesonide orodispersible tablets as induction therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis achieved better rates of clinical and histologic remission. Read more.

UNIFI: Stelara achieves long-term remission in ulcerative colitis

Two different dosing regimens of Stelara helped patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis achieve clinical remission and maintain a clinical response through 44 weeks, according to data presented at the Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation.

1-in-3 patients with inflammatory bowel disease prescribed treatments off-label

Roughly one-fifth of all prescriptions for inflammatory bowel disease are considered “off-label” with one-third of all patients receiving drugs with off-label prescriptions, according to research published in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Read more.

Risk for eosinophilic esophagitis higher in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, and vice versa

Eosinophilic esophagitis and inflammatory bowel disease have a connection in which patients with one are at higher risk for the other, according to research published in Gut. Read more.

Home biologic infusions in inflammatory bowel disease suffer from lack of monitoring

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease who received their biologic medication in home infusions rather than at a hospital experienced more adverse outcomes, according to research published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Read more.