The link (from KT Park’s twitter feed): media.jamanetwork.com/news-item/drug-improves-remission-crohn-disease-among-children-adolescents/ …
An except:
The study included 56 children and was conducted August 2008-September 2012 in 6 pediatric care centers in Italy. Children were randomized to thalidomide or placebo once daily for 8 weeks. The primary measured outcomes were a reduction in the Pediatric Crohn Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) score of ≥ 25 percent or ≥ 75 percent at weeks 4 and 8 (clinical remission). Nonresponders to placebo received thalidomide for an additional 8 weeks. All responders continued to receive thalidomide for an additional minimum 52 weeks.
The researchers found that clinical remission was achieved by more children treated with thalidomide (13/28 [46.4 percent] vs. 3/26 [11.5 percent]). Responses were not different at 4 weeks, but greater improvement was observed at 8 weeks in the thalidomide group. Of the nonresponders to placebo who began receiving thalidomide, 11 of 21 (52.4 percent) subsequently reached remission at week 8. Overall, 31 of 49 children treated with thalidomide (63.3 percent) achieved clinical remission, and 32 of 49 (65.3 percent) achieved 75 percent response.
Average duration of clinical remission in the thalidomide group was 181 weeks vs. 6.3 weeks in the placebo group.
Related blog post:
gutsandgrowth 