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Treatment of active and postactive ileal and colonic Crohn's disease with oral pH-modified-release budesonide. German
Background/Aims:
Budesonide is a glucocorticoid with a high topical anti-inflammatory but low systemic activity due to its rapid hepatic inactivation. The aim of this open, multicenter study was to investigate efficacy and safety of oral pH-modified-release budesonide in patients with active Crohn's disease of the ileum and colon and in maintaining budesonide-induced remission in postactive Crohn's disease.
Materials And Methods:
81 patients (intention-to-treat) received 3 x 3 mg budesonide/day for 6 weeks, followed by 3 x 2 mg budesonide for another 6 weeks in case of response to initial treatment. Clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed at study entry as well as after 2, 4, 6 and 12 weeks of treatment.
Results:
On an intention-to-treat basis remission was induced in 54.3% of 81 patients with active Crohn's disease, 71.4% of 35 patients stayed in remission after the acute-phase treatment until the end of the trial. Typical steroid-related side effects were observed during the acute-phase treatment in only 18% of the patients. Duration, severity and extent of disease at study entry played no significant role in the outcome of the trial, but there was a tendency towards better results during the acute-phase treatment in patients with moderate disease activity and affection of the terminal ileum and proximal colon.
Conclusions:
Budesonide could be an alternative to conventional steroid treatment in patients with active Crohn's disease.