title: Use of azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine in the treatment of Crohn's disease.
abstract: The efficacy and safety of therapy with azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine was studied in 78 patients with Crohn's disease. Mean duration of therapy was 1.6 years; 52 patients were treated greater than or equal to 6 months. All patients were also on other antiinflammatory medications. Evaluations included self-assessment and physician's assessment of well-being, functional capacity, general clinical response, clinical activities indices (National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis/International Organization for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Harvey-Bradshaw), and achievement of specific therapeutic goals. General clinical condition improved in 70% of the patients. Median response time was 3 months. The average Harvey-Bradshaw score decreased 37% with therapy, and a decrease of greater than or equal to 30% occurred in 66% of the subjects. An overall 72% achievement rate for specified therapeutic goals included controlling refractory disease, 73%; corticosteroid "sparing," 76%; and lessening fistulization, 63%. Nine patients got worse despite therapy. Adverse effects requiring discontinuation of therapy occurred in 10%, whereas dosages were briefly lowered for mild side effects in another 10%. This study demonstrates the effectiveness and safety of azathioprine/6-mercaptopurine in the majority of selected patients with chronic, unremitting, or steroid-requiring Crohn's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Bayless
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bayless
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015122:Mercaptopurine; D001379:Azathioprine