Putting Patients With Ulcerative Colitis on the Right Treatment Path

Treatment selection for ulcerative colitis (UC) is largely based on disease severity and prognosis: patients with mild UC often achieve remission with 5-aminosalicylates, whereas patients with active disease often require corticosteroids. Though effective for managing flares and inducing remission, prolonged steroid use leads to serious side effects. Fortunately, the search for steroid-sparing UC treatments has, in the last decade, led to the development of biologics and small-molecule inhibitors that target specific immune pathways involved in UC. These options provide new hope for many UC patients but have complicated the process of treatment selection for clinicians, leading to variations in practice and substandard outcomes. New guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association and the American College of Gastroenterology outline evidence-based medication choices and emphasize the importance of patient preferences in the treatment-selection process; nevertheless, less than 50% of gastroenterologists participate in shared decision-making with their patients.

This interactive, case-based activity has been developed to help
gastroenterologists incorporate steroid-sparing therapies using small-molecule inhibitors and biologics to achieve UC remission, ensure that patients are knowledgeable about the benefits and drawbacks of available treatment options, and improve communication with patients regarding their care.

This activity also features a video resource for people with UC that you can share with patients in your practice.