Vedolizumab Safety in Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: a Literature Review

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis belongs to the group of inflammatory bowel diseases, which represent pathologies influenced by genetic and environmental factors, resulting in an immunological imbalance followed by tissue damage. These environmental provocations trigger inflammatory processes restricted to the mucous layer of the colon, especially in the rectum, which can spread to other regions. The main therapeutic interventions are surgical management and the use of medications, such as Vedolizumab. This article aims to scan the current medical literature on the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis using Vedolizumab. This is an integrative review of the literature, using the Pubmed and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases, by crossing the descriptors “vedolizumab”, “therapeutic” and “ulcerative colitis”, with the Boolean operator “AND” . The searches result in 509 articles, with those that coincide with the topic in focus being selected and the rest excluded due to less coverage and evasion of the topic. Among the inclusion criteria, articles were included in Portuguese, English and Spanish, especially from the last 5 years, resulting in 7 articles. The drug Vedolizumab has specific immunosuppressive properties for the intestine, demonstrating indication for the treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. This medication acts through its binding to the α4β7 integrin expressed in intestinal T lymphocytes, inhibiting the inflammatory process and reducing the patient's symptoms. Thus, therapeutics measures using this drug, aimed at patients with ulcerative colitis, appear to be safe and effective.