Therapeutic effectiveness and tolerance of 5-aminosalicylic acid in short term treatment of patients with ulcerative colitis at a low or medium phase of activity.

The therapeutic effectiveness and tolerance of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5ASA), compared with Salazosulphapyridine (SASP) in treatment of ulcerative colitis have been evaluated in 86 patients with the disease at a low or medium phase of activity. After a treatment of six weeks, an improvement was noted in 63.6% (5ASA) and 61.3% (SASP) of these patients. However in no case was a complete remission of the disease observed on the basis of endoscopic inspection. In patients with pancolitis the improvement was lower (37.5% with 5ASA, 40% with SASP). The only side-effect was gastric intolerance, which occurred in 18.1% of the 5ASA and in 19% of the SASP patients. In conclusion we can assume that 5ASA and SASP largely overlap each other as regards both therapeutic effectiveness and occurrence of side-effects.