P122 - Experience with interferon-b-1a (AVONEX) and future steps for a novel approach to the treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis

s of the 4th Congress of ECCO the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation S59 Treatment with CsA was unsuccessful in 7 patients (20%). Indication for colectomy was fulminant or very severe disease in two patients (both on day 19), relapsing disease in one patient (day 422) and mucosal dysplasia in FU-colonoscopy in one patient (day 172). Additionally, three patients were shifted to IFX, two of whom were up till now colectomised. The MAYO-score medians were 10, 2 and 0 at 0, 3 and 12 months, respectively. The 14 patients treated with IFX got a dose of 5mg/kg within eight weeks interval. Three (21%) of the patients were colectomised (days 36, 78 and 116). All of them had previously received CsA-therapy; two in the present series and one in another hospital. IFX was stopped after 2 infusions at 12 weeks (2 pts) or after 4 infusions after 21 weeks (1 pt) as the clinical and endoscopic response were insufficient. The MAYO-score medians were 7, 3 and 1 at 0, 3 and 12 months, respectively. Two patients suffered from cytomegalo-viremia. One of them had also Pneumocystis carinii infection, and treatment with CsA was discontinued. Conclusions: Our data show that both CsA and IFX are effective in treatment of steroid refractory CU patients. Despite of these therapies some CU patients still need colectomy within quite short FU period. The risk of serious infections is associated with