5-ASA for Ulcerative Colitis

To the Editor: The therapeutic results reported in the paper entitled “Coated Oral 5-Aminosalicylic Acid Therapy for Mildly to Moderately Active Ulcerative Colitis” (Dec. 24 issue)¹ were very encouraging, in view of our previously reported data with olsalazine sodium.² However, we were surprised that the patients in the placebo group were denied available standard therapy, in the form of sulfasalazine. The authors themselves stated that sulfasalazine is effective to “induce remission of mildly to moderately active disease.” In our study, the placebo group was limited to patients who were intolerant of or allergic to sulfasalazine.² We considered entry into the.