The effectiveness of budesonide therapy for Crohn's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness and safety of budesonide in comparison to corticosteroids, 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), or placebo for inducing remission of active Crohn's disease and for maintaining remission.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trials comparing budesonide to corticosteroids, 5-ASA products or placebo were included. Trials had to report on the effectiveness of treatment (defined as decreasing or maintaining Crohn's Disease Activity Index, CDAI, scores < or = 150) or adverse events.


METHODS
After assessing the validity of study design and independent, duplicate data extraction from selected trials, summary relative risks (RR) were calculated for each outcome. A test of heterogeneity was also calculated for each outcome using a random effects model.


RESULTS
Budesonide was more likely to induce remission than placebo (RR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.15-2.88) or 5-ASA (RR=1.73, 95% CI: 1.26-2.39), although only one trial compared budesonide to 5-ASA products. Although budesonide induced remission less frequently than conventional corticosteroids (RR=0.87, 95% CI: 0.76-0.995), there was no significant difference between conventional corticosteroids and budesonide for inducing remission among patients with a low disease activity (initial CDAI=200-300). Budesonide was significantly less likely to cause corticosteroid-associated adverse events than conventional corticosteroids (RR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.53-0.80). No significant difference in total adverse events or corticosteroid-associated adverse events was demonstrated between budesonide and 5-ASA or placebo.


CONCLUSIONS
Budesonide is significantly more effective than placebo or 5-ASA for inducing remission of active Crohn's disease. Although budesonide is 13% less effective for the induction of remission in active Crohn's disease than conventional corticosteroids, it is less likely to cause corticosteroid-related adverse effects. Budesonide is ineffective in maintaining remission.
Section of Digestive Deseases, University of Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill 60637, USA. skane@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
S V
SV
Kane
P
P
Schoenfeld
W J
WJ
Sandborn
W
W
Tremaine
T
T
Hofer
B G
BG
Feagan
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019819:Budesonide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019804:Mesalamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012074:Remission Induction
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D019804:Mesalamine; D019819:Budesonide