Two mesalazine regimens in the prevention of the post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease: a pragmatic, double-blind, randomized controlled trial

Summary Background : The role of mesalazine in preventing the clinical recurrence of Crohn's disease after surgery has been shown in a meta-analysis of all published studies. No clear relationship, however, has been shown between dosage and response. Aim : To evaluate whether 4.0 g/day of mesalazine may offer therapeutic advantages over 2.4 g/day in the prevention of both endoscopic and clinical post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease. Methods : The study was a double-blind, randomized, multi-centre, prospective, controlled clinical trial. Two hundred and six patients, submitted to first or second intestinal resection for Crohn's disease limited to the terminal ileum, with or without i…