Randomised trial of mycophenolate mofetil versus azathioprine for treatment of chronic active Crohn’s disease

BACKGROUNDCrohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the alimentary tract. Azathioprine is an effective agent in the management of chronic active Crohn’s disease leading to long term remission of disease activity. Such treatment leads to limited efficacy or side effects in a small subset of patients.AIMSTo compare efficacy and side effects of treatment with azathioprine plus corticosteroids versus mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) plus corticosteroids in patients with chronic active Crohn’s disease.METHODSSeventy patients with chronic active Crohn’s disease (Crohn’s disease activity index (CDAI) greater than 150) were randomised for treatment with azathioprine/cortisone or MMF/cortisone…