Searching for the delta: 5-aminosalicylic Acid therapy for Crohn's disease.

Abstract

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition that often requires lifelong medical therapy for the induction and maintenance of remission. Oral mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid [5-ASA]) therapy has several forms, which can be categorized into oral formulations and prodrugs. The ability to demonstrate the efficacy of 5-ASA is limited in most clinical trials by the nonspecific endpoints of the Crohn's Disease Activity Index. Overall, clinical trials have not shown 5-ASA therapy to be superior to placebo for the induction of remission, with the exception of sulfasalazine in colonic CD. 5-ASA therapy has also not been shown to be superior to placebo for maintenance of medically induced remission; however, mesalamine may have a modest effect in surgically induced remission. Further research is needed regarding the optimal monitoring and therapy for patients with mild CD who often achieve remission with placebo in clinical trials.

• Authors: Barrett G Levesque, Sunanda V Kane
• Journal: Gastroenterology & hepatology (Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y)) Vol. 7 Issue 5 Pg. 295-301 (May 2011) ISSN: 1554-7914 [Print] United States
• PMID: 21857830 (Publication Type: Journal Article)