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Budesonide An Alternative To Prednisone In Paediatric Crohn's Disease

Budesonide should be considered an alternative to prednisone in the treatment of children with mild to moderate Crohn's disease, suggest Israeli researchers.

The remission rates in 33 paediatric patients with Crohn's were similar with budesonide and prednisone, but the researchers found that the children treated with budesonide had significantly fewer side effects.

The study was done by investigators with the Israeli Paediatric Gastroenterology Association Budesonide Study group, led by Dr. Arie Levine of E. Wolfson Medical Centre in Holon.

They explain that earlier research indicated budesonide was effective in patients with mild to moderate Crohn's, causing fewer side effects than prednisone. But, use of the drug had not been evaluated in children.

The open, controlled trial lasted 12 weeks. Participants included 20 boys and 13 girls, with a mean age of 14.3 years. The children were randomised to receive pH modified release budesonide at 9 milligrams or prednisone at 40 mg. Participating children did not differ by age, disease onset, disease location or disease activity.

At 12 weeks, the remission rate was 47% in the budesonide group and 50% in the prednisone group. There were side effects in 32% of the children receiving budesonide and 71% of those taking prednisone.

The researchers add that the severity of cosmetic effects was significantly lower in children treated with budesonide.
Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology, 2003;36:2:248-252. "A comparison of budesonide and prednisone for the treatment of active pediatric crohn disease."

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