6 Recommendations for further research

6.1 The Committee recommended that infliximab and ciclosporin should be directly compared, exploring the clinical effectiveness of the two therapies in the treatment of acute exacerbations of severely active ulcerative colitis.

6.2 The Committee noted that there are two ongoing studies relevant to this guidance:

  • A study comparing ciclosporin with infliximab in steroid-refractory severe attacks of ulcerative colitis (sponsored by the Group d'Etude Thérapeutique des Affections Inflammatoires Digestif [GETAID]).

  • A study comparing the effectiveness of ciclosporin with infliximab in the management of acute ulcerative colitis refractory to intravenous corticosteroids (CONSTRUCT – comparison of infliximab and ciclosporin in steroid resistant ulcerative colitis; a trial), School of Medicine, Swansea University.

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)