A prospective, open-label trial assessing dexamethasone pulse therapy in moderate to severe ulcerative colitis

Severe ulcerative colitis is conventionally treated with parenteral corticosteroids followed by oral corticosteroids. Regular use of corticosteroids is associated with side effects. Corticosteroid pulse therapy, i.e., use of supraphysiologic dose followed by complete withdrawal, which is likely to have fewer side effects, was tried in the current study.

Dexamethasone pulse therapy, i.e., 100-mg/d infusion in 5% dextrose, was used for 3 consecutive days in 14 patients with severe ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis disease activity was assessed on days 7, 15, 30, and 60. The primary end point was defined as the number of patients who achieved clinical remission and an activity index less than 150 at day 15. The second end point was the number of patients who remained in remission and had an activity index less than 150 at 30 and 60 days. None of the patients enrolled got subsequent oral corticosteroids after their 3 days of megadose corticosteroid infusion.

Clinical remission was achieved in 93% patients (13 of 14 patients) by day 15. Two of these 13 patients suffered relapse during follow-up, and hence, the clinical remission was sustained in 79% patients at 30 and 60 days.

Dexamethasone pulse therapy is highly effective in inducing remission in patients with ulcerative colitis, but randomized controlled trials are needed to compare dexamethasone pulse therapy with standard oral continuous corticosteroid regimens.