Lack of adrenal gland suppression with budesonide enema in active distal ulcerative colitis: a prednisolone-controlled 8-week study

Objective: To compare the effect of two glucocorticosteroid enemas, budesonide and prednisolone, on adrenal gland function in patients with active distal ulcerative colitis. Design: A randomized, controlled, investigator-blind study. Setting: A multicentre study among outpatients from three Danish gastroenterology departments participating in a Scandinavian multicentre study. Patients: The study included 26 patients with active distal ulcerative colitis, with a median disease duration of 6.5 years and a median duration of the current disease exacerbation of 26 days. Intervention: Bedtime retention enemas, budesonide (2 mg/100 ml), or prednisolone disodium phosphate (25 mg/100 ml) were administered daily for up to 8 weeks