A New Frontier in Treating Acute Ulcerative Colitis: Predicting Corticosteroid Treatment Failure

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the colon and rectum, leading to symptoms such as severe bloody diarrhoea and abdominal pain. For many patients, the disease can become acute, with symptoms worsening rapidly and requiring hospitalization. In these cases, corticosteroids—powerful anti-inflammatory drugs—are often the first line of treatment. However, the effectiveness of corticosteroids varies significantly among patients, and a considerable number do not respond to this treatment, putting them at risk of severe complications, including the need for surgery.