Asacol improves quality of life for UC patients

USA-based health care major Procter & Gamble says that patients treated with its ulcerative colitis medication Asacol (mesalamine) achieve a statistically-significant improvement in overall quality of life after as little as three weeks of therapy.

The findings are based on the analysis of data from the ASCEND I and II studies, which were two Phase III trials of the delayed-release version of the drug. During the sixweek program, patients with active UC received an oral 2.4g per day dose of the agent, with quality of life assessments being made using the inflammatory bowel disease questionnairre (IBDQ).

The results showed that participants saw improvement in IBDQ scores at three and six weeks, compared with baseline (28.3 and 38.1, respectively). In addition, the firm reported that IBDQ sub-scores, such as bowel and systemic symptoms, emotional health and social function, were improved during the trial.