Shire publishes UC survey details

Shire has published the results of a series of surveys regarding ulcerative colitis (UC), with the company finding that nearly three-quarters of patients with the condition believe that feeling unwell is a normal part of life.

This contrasts with the figure estimated by gastroenterologists for these patients, which is at 37 per cent of patients with UC.

Results from these questionnaires sponsored by Shire – dubbed UC: Normal (New Observations on Remission Management and Lifestyle) were presented at the annual inflammatory bowel diseases conference from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

David Rubin, associate professor of medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Centre, said: “Before these surveys, patient and physician views on UC’s impact had not been compared and the real-life impact of UC had not been explored to this extent.”

“This series of surveys brings to light some challenges for the UC community.”

He added that the results show that patients accept a high level of disruption on their lives from the condition, while the views of patients and doctors regarding the impact of the disease are not the same.

In May 2007, Shire presented positive post-hoc analyses of phase III clinical study results of Lialda (mesalamine), its treatment for UC.