Outcomes of budesonide multimatrix prescriptions in the COVID-19 pandemic

Budesonide multimatrix is prescribed to treat forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during periods of relapse, and it is licensed to treat mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC). However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rise in the use of budesonide multimatrix to treat all forms of IBD after fears that systemic corticosteroid use, such as prednisolone, could increase the risk of COVID-19 severity. This audit included records of all patients who were prescribed the budesonide multimatrix Cortiment (9 mg once a day) over a year in NHS Lothian. Patients were grouped by disease activity at the point of prescription (Partial Mayo Score (PMS) less than 5 showed milder disease and above 5 showed more severe disease) and disease phenotype. The primary endpoint was response at 8 weeks from start of treatment, grouped into full response, partial response, no response and escalation. The full response rate to budesonide multimatrix was 52% among all patients, but 80% in those with PMS ≤4 and only 15% in those with a PMS ≥5. By phenotype, response rates were 41% in Crohn's disease, 50% in IBD unclassified, 56% in proctitis, 56% in left-sided colitis and 51% in pancolitis. Budesonide multimatrix is effective to treat mild disease but is not effective in patients who are having a moderate-to-severe flare of IBD. This medication was 80% effective if the PMS was below 5, suggesting that it is very effective in mild disease.