LAUSR

Background Golimumab is a new anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody for patients with ulcerative colitis. Aims To assess the short- and long-term effectiveness and safety of golimumab in daily clinical practice and to identify predictors of response. Methods Consecutive patients treated with golimumab in 22 Italian centers were enrolled. Clinical, laboratory, and endoscopic data were prospectively collected before and during treatment. A subgroup of patients completed a questionnaire to assess personal satisfaction with a golimumab autoinjector system. Results A total of 196 patients were included. After 3 months, 130 patients were responders (66.3%) and showed significant reductions in mean partial, total, and endoscopic Mayo scores and in mean ESR, C-reactive protein, and fecal calprotectin levels ( p  < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that a higher total Mayo score ( p  < 0.001, OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–1.8) and naïve status to anti-TNF-alpha ( p  = 0.015, OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2–7.5) were predictive of a favorable response. Seventy-seven (39.3%) of the 130 responders maintained a response at month 12 of therapy. There were 17 adverse events, 28 patients needed hospitalization, and 15 patients underwent surgery. Self-administration of the drug was appreciated by most patients. Conclusions The efficacy and safety of golimumab in daily clinical practice were confirmed for the short- and long-term treatment of patients with active ulcerative colitis. Patients naïve to the anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody and those with a higher total Mayo score were more likely to respond to golimumab.