Mesalazine granule formulation improves clinical data in Crohn's disease compared with tablet formulation

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• The effectiveness of sustained-release mesalazine for maintaining remission in Crohn's disease is not well-established.
• Investigating formulation changes is crucial for optimizing patient treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the 2-year efficacy of mesalazine granule formulation compared to tablets for Crohn's disease remission maintenance.
• To assess changes in patient compliance, Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and key clinical markers after switching formulations.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study involving 46 Crohn's disease patients in remission.
• Patients switched from mesalazine tablets to a granule formulation.
• Evaluated continuous treatment rates, CDAI, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, and hemoglobin (Hb) levels over two years.

Main Results:

• 72.7% of patients maintained continuous treatment with mesalazine granules for two years.
• No significant change in CDAI was observed in the continuous treatment group.
• Significant decreases in serum CRP levels (P=0.023) and significant increases in Hb levels (P=0.002) were noted, indicating improved clinical status.

Conclusions:

• Mesalazine granule formulation appears to offer superior remission maintenance effects compared to mesalazine tablets in Crohn's disease.
• The granule formulation supports sustained clinical remission and improves key inflammatory and hematological markers.