Dose Escalation and Remission (DEAR)

Among patients with quiescent ulcerative colitis (UC), lower fecal concentrations of calprotectin are associated with lower rates of relapse. We performed an open-label, randomized controlled trial to investigate whether increasing doses of mesalamine reduce concentrations of fecal calprotectin (FC) in patients with quiescent UC.

We screened 119 patients with UC in remission on the basis of Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index scores, FC >50 µg/g, and intake of no more than 3 g/day mesalamine. Participants taking mesalamine formulations other than multimatrix mesalamine were switched to multimatrix mesalamine (2.4 g/day) for 6 weeks; 52 participants were then randomly assigned (1:1) to a group that continued its current dose of mesalamine (controls, n = 26) or a group that increased its dose by 2.4 g/day for 6 weeks (n = 26). The primary outcome was continued remission with FC <50 µg/g. Secondary outcomes were continued remission with FC <100 µg/g or <200 µg/g (among patients with pre-randomization values above these levels).

Inclusion criteria

• Understand and sign the informed consent form.
• Have documented ulcerative colitis on the basis of usual diagnostic criteria including clinical symptoms and findings from endoscopy, radiology studies, and histology.
• Have a Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI)55 score below 3 with no category value greater than 1 (Table 5).
• Three or fewer bowel movements per 24 hours at the time of enrollment.
• No visible blood in their bowel movements in the three days prior to enrollment.
• Have either been on a stable dose of mesalamine medication (oral, rectal or a combination of oral and rectal, including sulfasalazine) or on no mesalamine medications for at least 4 weeks prior to enrollment.
• Have been on either a stable dose of azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, or methotrexate or on none of these medications for at least 8 weeks prior to enrollment.
• Have experienced at least one flare of ulcerative colitis in the 2 years prior to enrollment. A flare is defined as an increase in stool frequency, bleeding, urgency and/or abdominal discomfort sufficient to warrant a change in medication dose or addition of a new medication.
• Most recently measured serum creatinine level in the preceding year less than 1.5 mg/dL.

Exclusion criteria

• Age less than 18
• Inability to speak and read English
• Presence of an ostomy or prior total or subtotal colectomy
• Current corticosteroid use or use within the two weeks prior to enrollment
• Remission for less than 4 weeks prior to enrollment
• Previous intolerance to mesalamine at doses greater than the current dose.
• Use of rectally administered mesalamine or steroids within the 2 weeks prior to enrollment.
• Currently taking more than 3.0 gm/day of mesalamine (oral or rectal). If on oral and rectal mesalamine, the combined dose is more than 3.0 gm/day.
• Use of anti-TNFα therapies within the 8 weeks prior to enrollment and/or intent to use anti-TNFα therapies as maintenance therapy in the coming 12 weeks.
• Pregnant or breast feeding women.
• Use of an experimental therapy for ulcerative colitis in the 8 weeks prior to enrollment.
• Any condition that the investigator feels will make completion of the study unlikely.
• Use of cyclosporine in the two weeks prior to enrollment.
• Moderate or severe abdominal tenderness on examination at time of enrollment.