Steroid-sparing therapies can help children and young adults prevent complications of Crohn's disease, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
The study, which Medical Xpress reported on, examined data between 2001 and 2016 from 2,214 privately insured patients who were between 5 and 24 years old.
Researchers found the 1,242 patients who used steroid-sparing therapy were less likely to develop severe complications of Crohn's disease. Patients who used the therapies were nearly 60 percent less likely to develop perianal fistulas, and the likelihood of surgical intervention for patients who developed fistulas decreased by 55 percent.
Fistulas are a painful complication of Crohn's, and while most research focuses on treating them when they occur, this study found that steroid-sparing therapy decreased the risk of their formation to begin with.
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