Real-Life Effectiveness and Safety of Golimumab and Its Predictors of Response in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis

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