Roziglitazone still alive?

Bad press and a flawed meta-analysis helped to eliminate the use of rosiglitazone in the management of diabetes late last year. I have found this drug to be very useful in some patients who don't manage to put on weight. In this month’s issue of Gastroenterology, however, a new life for rosiglitazone is born as a possible therapeutic addition for active ulcerative colitis.

A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial involving 105 patients with mild to moderately active ulcerative colitis showed significant differences in the rates of clinical response and remission in those treated with 4mg of rosiglitazone twice daily for twelve weeks compared to placebo. The patients were allowed to be on other UC medications during the study that could not be adjusted during the study period. While the sample size was small and the treatment duration short, no significant differences in the rate of cardiovascular adverse events were seen!