Evidence-based On-call

Inflammatory bowel disease

Therapy

Consider using nicotine patches for patients with ulcerative colitis who have relapsed on therapy ^a

Why?

It increases the rate of remission for patients who relapsed on steroids and ASA compounds. ^a
However adverse effects are common (nausea, light-headedness, headache, sleep disturbance, dizziness, skin irritation, sweating, vomiting, and tremor). ^a

Nicotine patches increase remission in relapsed ulcerative colitis

Patient	Treatment	Comparison	Outcome	CER	RRR (95% CI)	NNT (95% CI)
relapsed ulcerative colitis ^a	nicotine patches	placebo	remission at 6 weeks	24%	-100% (-290% to 3%)	4 (2 to 37)
			adverse effects at 6 weeks	30%	-120% (-280% to -28%)	-3 (-7 to -2)