Management of proctitis in ulcerative colitis and the place of biological therapies

Abstract

Introduction: Approximately 20-30% of the patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) may present with isolated proctitis. Ulcerative proctitis (UP) is a challenging condition to manage due to its significant burden in terms of disabling symptoms.

Areas covered: PubMed was searched up to March 2024 to identify relevant studies on UP. A comprehensive summary and critical appraisal of the available data on UP are provided, highlighting emerging treatments and areas for future research.

Expert opinion: Patients with UP are often undertreated, and the disease burden is often underestimated in clinical practice. Treat-to-target management algorithms can be applied to UP, aiming for clinical remission in the short term, and endoscopic remission and maintenance of remission in the long term. During their disease, approximately one-third of UP patients require advanced therapies. Escalation to biologic therapy is required for refractory or steroid dependent UP. For optimal patient care and management of UP, it is necessary to include these patients in future randomized clinical trials.

Keywords: Biological therapy; clinical trial; proctitis; refractory; therapy; ulcerative colitis.