Metronidazole for Crohn's disease.

Five patients with Crohn's disease for 4 months to 12 years were treated with metronidazole. Four of them improved after 2-4 weeks' treatment. In three of them corticosteroids and sulphasalazine could be withdrawn. One patient did not improve until 4 months of metronidazole treatment had passed and corticosteroids were reintroduced. In three patients metronidazole was discontinued after 4-6 months of treatment. Two of them had no signs or symptoms of relapse 3 and 6 months later. The third patient is free from symptoms but laboratory data indicate disease activity.