Vancomycin and Ustekinumab Combination Therapy in Acute Ulcerative Colitis

The role of antibiotics in the treatment of ulcerative colitis is limited. We present a case of a 25-year-old woman who presented with a flare of ulcerative colitis after an episode of infectious gastroenteritis on a background of known primary sclerosing cholangitis. After the flare, she experienced persistent abdominal pain and diarrhea associated with elevated fecal calprotectin and deep rectosigmoid ulcerations on endoscopy. After unsuccessful trials of vedolizumab, infliximab, and tofacitinib, the patient was commenced on ustekinumab, tacrolimus, and oral vancomycin. Tacrolimus was ceased successfully, but while on maintenance ustekinumab therapy, 2 attempts to cease vancomycin resulted in symptom recurrence and rising fecal calprotectin that improved with vancomycin recommencement. To date, the patient has been on vancomycin continuously for 18 months and remains clinically well with colonoscopy demonstrating inactive colitis. This case highlights how vancomycin may be beneficial in the management of treatment-refractory ulcerative colitis as an adjunct to biologic therapy.