Budesonide for Maintenance of Remission in Crohn's Disease

The document reviewed the efficacy of budesonide for maintaining remission in Crohn's disease (CD) across multiple studies involving 1,273 participants. Budesonide 6 mg daily was found to be no more effective than placebo for maintaining remission at 3, 6, or 12 months, although it showed some benefit at 3 months. The quality of evidence was generally low to moderate due to sparse data and methodological issues. Budesonide resulted in minor improvements in Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) scores and longer time to relapse but was associated with higher rates of treatment-related adverse events, including acne, moon facies, hirsutism, mood swings, insomnia, weight gain, striae, and hair loss. Overall, budesonide was not effective for long-term maintenance of remission in CD.