Olsalazine Treatment in Patients Intolerant of Sulphasalazine: the Australian Experience

Abstract

Since June 1985, the emergency use of olsalazine has been permitted in Australia for individual patients who are intolerant of sulphasalazine. This paper reports the results for 103 patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Olsalazine was administered for periods ranging from 2 days to 77 weeks. Twenty-four adverse effects were reported in the 17 patients who ceased treatment. Bone marrow suppression and hepatotoxicity, experienced with sulphasalazine, did not recur during olsalazine treatment. The wives of three of the male patients, who had been infertile while taking sulphasalazine, became pregnant during the study. It is concluded that the use of olsalazine is safe in patients intolerant of sulphasalazine and that adverse effects are uncommon even in this selected group of patients.

Key Words:

• Inflammatory bowel disease
• olsalazine
• sulphasalazine