[Predictive factors of failure of intravenous corticosteroid treatment in acute severe colitis of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis].
We conducted a retrospective study on 78 cases of acute severe colitis (Crohn's disease in 51 cases, ulcerative colitis in 27 cases). Diagnosis of acute severe colitis was based on presence of Truelove's criteria and/or endoscopical gravity lesions. Failure of corticoid treatment was observed in 35 patients (45%). In overall patients, predictive factors of failure of intravenous corticoid treatment in univariate analysis are diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, number of bloody stool higher than 6/day. level of C-reactive protein lower than 25 mg/l. visibility of muscular mucosa at colonoscopy, absence of decrease in erythrocyte-sedimentation rate for more than 50% of initial value at day 3 of treatment, absence of decrease in C-reactive protein for more than 50% of initial value at day 3 of treatment, and a lower duration of corticoid treatment. In multivariate analysis, independent predictive factors of failure of corticoid treatment are a number of bloody stool higher than 6/day (p=0.01 adjusted OR [CI95%]: 10.2 [1.15 - 72.06]) and a value of initial C-reactive protein lower than 25 mg/l (p < 0.0001 adjusted OR [CI95%] : 3.25 [2.95 - 4.31]). In Crohn's disease, the only independent predictive factor of failure of corticoid treatment is an absence of decrease of C-reactive protein level for more than 50% of initial value at day 3 of treatment (p = 0.001 adjusted OR [CI95%] : 0.79 [0.45-0.95]). Existence of these predictive factors allows the early identification of patients who would be suitable for second-line therapy.