Four double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were conducted with identical protocols in which patients with Crohn's Disease, and medically induced remission, received a treatment of oral budesonide for 12 months. Results showed that budesonide taken at 6 mg/day is effective for prolonging time to relapse and for significantly reducing rates of relapse.
"Long-term treatment with budesonide is well-tolerated and the frequency and types of adverse events are similar to placebo," states lead researcher,William J. Sandborn, MD. "Safety of a long-term medication is obviously important, but how well a patient tolerates their medication is also important and can affect patient adherence to therapy."
Crohn's disease is a long-term disease that results from inflammation of the digestive tract. It is a debilitating sickness, even for patients who are classified as having mild to moderate disease. Currently, there are no treatment options available that prevents recurrence of symptoms.
"As stated, this disease is recurring in nature, so extending the time a patient can be symptom-free or with diminished symptoms is an important feature of treatment. Budesonide capsules are a treatment option for Crohn's disease that has been shown in studies not only to be very effective in relieving symptoms, but also in extending the time before patients experience a recurrence."
This study is published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Media wishing to receive a PDF of the article contact medicalnews@bos.blackwellpublishing.net.
Dr. William J. Sandborn is a board certified gastroenterologist with specific expertise in inflammatory bowel disease. He has published extensively in this field, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Sandborn can be reached for questions and interviews at sandborn.william@mayo.edu.
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