Recurrent septicemia with lethal outcome during and after cyclosporine therapy in severe ulcerative colitis

High dose corticosteroids have been the mainstay in the treatment of fulminant ulcerative colitis (UC) for a long time. In the last years intravenous cyclosporine (CyA) has been reported to be rapidly effective and relatively safe in patients with severe corticosteroid-resistant UC. We report on a 64 year old patient with a severe flare-up of UC who responded well to intravenous CyA after a standard therapy with high dose corticosteroids alone had been ineffective. However, recurrent staphylococcus aureus sepsis developed during CyA therapy. Despite a long-time antibiotic therapy two further episodes of staphylococcus aureus sepsis occurred after discontinuation of CyA treatment. Being in remission with his UC the patient died 14 months later of staphylococcus aureus sepsis despite intense antibiotic treatment. Infectious complications of this therapeutic regime in severe UC are known but to our knowledge a recurrent sepsis complicating this therapy even after cessation of CyA has not been reported in the literature so far.