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Long-term remission of Crohn's disease treated with thalidomide: A seminal case report

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Abstract

A 31-year-old female with severe Crohn's disease for 15 years who had been treated with corticosteroids and 6-mercaptopurine, was treated with thalidomide initially for erythema nodosum. While on thalidomide all symptoms of Crohn's disease disappeared and she was able to discontinue all other drugs. At this writing she has been on thalidomide as sole therapy for over 4 years with the exception of a 5-week hiatus, during which time her symptoms recurred, but again disappeared after resumption of thalidomide therapy. This case suggests that thalidomide may be a useful therapy for Crohn's disease and provides impetus for a clinical trial of thalidomide for Crohn's disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Children's Hospital, USA

    Steven J. Fishman

  2. Department of Surgery, Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, USA

    Judah Folkman

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, USA

    Robert J. D'Amato

  4. Department of Pediatric Surgery, The Tufts New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Neil R. Feins

Authors
  1. Steven J. Fishman
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  2. Neil R. Feins
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  3. Robert J. D'Amato
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  4. Judah Folkman
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Fishman, S.J., Feins, N.R., D'Amato, R.J. et al. Long-term remission of Crohn's disease treated with thalidomide: A seminal case report. Angiogenesis 3, 201–204 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009027315912

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