Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 28, 2005; 11(28): 4435-4438
Published online Jul 28, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i28.4435
Effects of sulfasalazine on biopsy mucosal pathologies and histological grading of patients with active ulcerative colitis
Ying-Qiang Zhong, Hua-Rong Huang, Zhao-Hua Zhu, Qi-Kui Chen, Jun Zhan, Lian-Chun Xing
Ying-Qiang Zhong, Zhao-Hua Zhu, Qi-Kui Chen, Jun Zhan, Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Hua-Rong Huang, Department of Pediatrics, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Lian-Chun Xing, Department of Pathology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Ying-Qiang Zhong, Department of Gastroenterology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China. zhongyingqiang@21cn.com
Telephone: +86-20-81332598
Received: July 19, 2004
Revised: September 15, 2005
Accepted: September 19, 2005
Published online: July 28, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the mechanisms of sulfasalazine (SASP) in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS: Changes of pathological signs and histological grading of 106 patients with active UC were observed before and after the treatment with SASP, 1 g, thrice daily for 6 wk.

RESULTS: The effect of SASP on the vasculitis in lamina propria was 48.2% and 17.4% in the mild active UC (P < 0.001) and 68% and 26.7% in the moderate active UC (P < 0.001) before and after treatment. Fibroid necrosis of vessel wall was found in one case of mild UC and two cases of moderate UC before treatment and was not found after treatment. No thrombosis was found in mild UC before and after treatment, while thrombosis was found in one case of moderate UC before treatment. The effect on mucosal glandular abnormality was 30.4% and 13.0% in mild UC (P < 0.05), and 42% and 40% in moderate UC (P > 0.05) before and after treatment. The rate of eosinophil infiltration was 98.2% and 80.4% in mild UC (P < 0.01), and 100% and 91.1% in moderate UC (P < 0.05) before and after treatment. The effect on crypt abscess was 21.4% and 4.4% in mild UC (P < 0.05), and 48% and 13.3% in moderate UC (P < 0.001) before and after treatment. The effect on mucosal pathohistological grading was 2.00 ± 0.84 and 0.91 ± 0.46 in mild UC (P < 0.001), and 2.49 ± 0.84 and 1.31 ± 0.75 in moderate UC (P < 0.001) before and after treatment.

CONCLUSION: SASP can improve small vessel lesions and crypt abscesses and reduce neutrophilic and eosinophilic leukocyte infiltration in inflammatory mucosa of UC.

Keywords: Ulcerative colitis; Biopsy mucosae; Sulfasalazine; Pathology