| Summary: | Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that is localized to the colon, and symptoms include diarrhea, pain, bloody stools, fatigue, and weight loss. If left untreated, inflammation may progress, leading to mucosal damage and potentially fatal complications such as perforation and sepsis. According to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada in 2012, there are approximately 233,000 Canadians living with IBD, with 104,000 diagnosed with UC. More than 10,200 new cases of IBD are diagnosed every year (5,700 with Crohn's disease [CD] and 4,500 with UC), an incidence of 0.7%; 20% to 30% of people with IBD are diagnosed before the age of 20 years. Budesonide is a corticosteroid with anti-inflammatory properties, although the precise mechanism of action is not known. The oral and rectal formulations of budesonide have existing indications for the management of UC and CD. Budesonide MMX (Multi Matrix System) is a new formulation of budesonide that is available as 9 mg delayed- and extended-release tablets for oral administration. The Health Canada indication is for the induction of remission in patients with active, mild to moderate UC. The recommended dose is one tablet per day in the morning for up to 8 weeks. The objective of this review is to perform a systematic review of the beneficial and harmful effects of budesonide MMX for the induction of remission in patients with active, mild to moderate UC.
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