Olsalazine in Patients with Serious Side-Effects or Allergy due to Sulphasalazine

Twenty-three patients with serious side-effects due to sulphasalazine were treated with olsalazine, a novel 5-ASA compound. Side-effects were attributed to an allergic reaction in 16 patients. Five male patients had impaired sperm quality with infertility. One patient had leucopenia, and one had eosinophilic pneumonitis. None of these side-effects was seen during treatment with olsalazine. The sperm quality of the men improved, and four of their wives became pregnant. In two patients, olsalazine was discontinued because of severe diarrhoea. Olsalazine seems to be a safe drug in the treatment of chronic inflammatory bowel disease.