A controlled trial of alternate day prednisolone as a maintenance treatment for ulcerative colitis in remission.

A double-blind crossover trial compared prednisolone, 40 mg given orally on alternate days, with placebo as a maintenance treatment for ulcerative colitis in remission. In each patient, the study was over two periods of 3 months. Of 24 patients who completed both periods, 11 relapsed while taking placebo but not while taking prednisolone, and 1 relapsed on prednisolone but did not on placebo (p less than 0.01). 1 patient had to stop prednisolone because of hyperglycaemia; other side effects noted were mild. Prednisolone, cautiously used in this way, could be justified for the few patients who relapse frequently despite sulphasalazine.