Efficacy of Oral vs. Topical, or Combined Oral and Topical 5-Aminosalicylates, in Ulcerative Colitis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES: Efficacy of 5-aminosalicylic acids (5-ASAs) in ulcerative colitis (UC) has been studied previously in meta-analyses. However, no recent meta-analysis has studied the relative efficacies of differing routes of administration. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane central register of controlled trials were searched (through May 2011). Eligible trials recruited adults with mildly to moderately active UC, or quiescent UC, and...