AZATHIOPRINE FOR THERAPY OF IBD IN CHILDHOOD

Key words: Crohn disease, Ulcerative recto-colitis, Azathioprine

28 children with IBD (mean age 14.7) received azathioprine (AZA) in addition to corticosteroids. Out of them, 17 are still receiving AZA, 11 had to discontinue the treatment because of adverse effects or other reasons. With reference to the Crohn disease, PCDAI decreased, from the beginning of treatment to the last follow-up, from 26.2 ± 11.4 to 6.5 ± 8.7 (p<0.0001); with reference to recto-colitis, the URC-score passed from 7.5 ± 1.6 to 3.0 ± 3.3 (p<0.05); the need of corticosteroids passed from 0.7 mg/kg ± 0.4 to 0.1 ± 0.2 mg/kg (p<0.0001).