Evaluation of oral budesonide for treatment of mild and moderate exacerbations of Crohn's disease in children

OBJECTIVES: Oral budesonide has been found to be efficacious for mild to moderate Crohn's disease in adults, with equal improvement rates for budesonide and prednisone. We report the results of a retrospective study of budesonide treatment in mild to moderate Crohn's disease in children. STUDY DESIGN: Charts of patients treated with budesonide (n = 62) with a pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index of 12.5 to 40 were compared with a cohort of 58 age-matched patients treated with prednisone. RESULTS: Among children treated with budesonide, 48% had remission compared with 77% of the children treated with prednisone (P =.001). Among patients who had failed previous medical therapy with mesalamine, 59% had remission with budesonide (9 mg/day). Remission with prednisone occurred in 73% of children who failed to achieve remission with budesonide. Patients responding to budesonide had significantly milder disease compared with nonresponders who had remission while taking prednisone. CONCLUSIONS: Budesonide is useful in mild to moderate Crohn's disease in children. It is more effective than mesalamine and antibiotics but less effective than prednisone. Budesonide should be considered for first-line therapy in mild to moderate Crohn's disease.