Corticosteroids for maintenance of remission in Crohn's disease.

The efficacy of corticosteroids in the setting of maintenance therapy for Crohn's disease has never been clearly demonstrated. It would be important to determine, based upon the currently available data from controlled trials, if the use of chronic corticosteroid therapy is of benefit in patients with quiescent Crohn's disease or if there is an identifiable subgroup of Crohn's disease patients, such as those in whom therapy cannot be successfully tapered, who might benefit from such treatment.