Parasitic Infections and Ulcerative Colitis: Combining Anti-parasitic and Immunomodulatory Treatments May Achieve Remission

Benha University120 enrolled

Overview

The study aimed to explore the link between parasitic infections and the severity of ulcerative colitis (UC). 120 UC patients were divided into three groups: those without infection, those with Giardia lamblia infection treated with metronidazole, and those with Giardia infection treated with a combination of metronidazole and E. purpurea. The results revealed that patients with Giardia infections exhibited more severe UC symptoms. All groups experienced improved symptoms following treatment, but the combination therapy group demonstrated the most significant improvement. Remission rates were highest in the group without infection and the group receiving combination therapy. Additionally, the study identified E. purpurea therapy and a substantial reduction in SCCAI score as significant predictors of higher remission rates.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

120

Conditions

Ulcerative Colitis

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 20 YearsMax age: 60 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Ulcerative Colitis patients had active disease, * Patients had parasitic infection by G. lambellia, * Patients free of parasitic infection, * Patients free of exclusion criteria.. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients had Inflammatory Bowel Disease other than Ulcerative Colitis, * Patients had multiple parasitic infections, * Patients had infection by parasites other than G. lambellia, * Patients who were maintained on immunosuppressant therapy, * Patients who were in remission and patients refused to sign the written consent to participate in the study.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Proportion of patients reporting at least a 50% increase in the remission rate of parasitic infection (measured by changes in Serum CRP, Fecal calprotectin, and on the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index[SCCAI]) in patients with Ulcerative colitis.

Patients had parasitic infection showed significantly higher pre-treatment SCCAI score and FCP level than patients free of infection. Post-treatment SCCAI scores of all patients were significantly lower than the pre-treatment scores.

Time frame: 4 weeks