Long-term 6-mercaptopurine treatment in adolescents with Crohn's disease.

Abstract Although 6-mercaptopurine is often used to treat adolescents with intractable Crohn's disease, its longterm efficacy has not yet been studied in this population. This study shows data derived from 36 adolescents (mean age ± SD, 16.5 ± 3.3 years; 27 males, 9 females) treated at least 6 months with 6-mercaptopurine (1.5 mg · kg −1 · day −1 , maximum of 75 mg/day). Sites of Crohn's disease at the start of 6-mercaptopurine therapy included 17 ileocolic, 9 pancolic, 7 small bowel, and 3 partial colon. All had received corticosteroids, sulfasalazine, antibiotics, and nutritional support for 5.0 ± 3.0 years before administering 6-mercaptopurine, but intractable symptoms persisted. Disease activity lessened during the first year of 6-mercaptopurine, reflected by a higher Lloyd-Still disease activity score (pre, 64 ± 9 vs. 6-mercaptopurine, 72 ± 11; P P P P P