The quality of evidence is downgraded by study limitations (inadequate or unclear allocation concealment).
A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 9 studies with a total of 1039 patients to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 5-ASA agents for the maintenance of surgically-induced remission in Crohn's disease in adults.
Seven studies compared oral 5-ASA with placebo and two compared oral 5-ASA with purine antimetabolites (azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine). 5-ASA was significantly more effective than placebo for preventing relapse (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.52 to 0.90), but the number-needed-to-treat (NNT) was 16 to 19. There was no statistically significant heterogeneity among the trials comparing 5-ASA with placebo (P=0.47). No statistically significant difference in adverse events was found for 5-ASA versus placebo (OR 1.02; 95%CI 0.60 to 1.76). No statistically significant difference was found between 5-ASA and purine antimetabolites for preventing relapses (OR 1.08; 95% CI 0.63 to 1.85).
Date of latest search:
Primary/Secondary Keywords