Editing Azathioprine (section)

===Inflammatory bowel disease===
Azathioprine has been used in the management of moderate to severe chronically active Crohn's disease,<ref name="art">{{cite journal | vauthors = Sandborn WJ | title = Azathioprine: state of the art in inflammatory bowel disease | journal = Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. Supplement | volume = 225 | issue = 234 | pages = 92–99 | year = 1998 | pmid = 9515759 | doi = 10.1080/003655298750027290 }}</ref> to maintain [[clinical remission]] (absence of disease activity) in corticosteroid-dependent patients,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Biancone L, Tosti C, Fina D, Fantini M, De Nigris F, Geremia A, Pallone F | title = Review article: maintenance treatment of Crohn's disease | journal = Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics | volume = 17 | issue = Suppl 2 | pages = 31–37 | date = June 2003 | pmid = 12786610 | doi = 10.1046/j.1365-2036.17.s2.20.x | s2cid = 23554085 }}</ref> and to provide benefit in people with [[Fistula|fistulizing]] Crohn's disease.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Rutgeerts P | title = Review article: treatment of perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease | journal = Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics | volume = 20 | issue = Suppl 4 | pages = 106–110 | date = October 2004 | pmid = 15352905 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.02060.x | s2cid = 71968695 | doi-access = free }}</ref> The onset of action is slow, and several months may be required to achieve a clinical response.<ref name="art" />

Azathioprine treatment is associated with an increased risk of [[lymphoma]], but whether this is due to the drug or a predisposition related to Crohn's disease is unclear.<ref name=Kan2005>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kandiel A, Fraser AG, Korelitz BI, Brensinger C, Lewis JD | title = Increased risk of lymphoma among inflammatory bowel disease patients treated with azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine | journal = Gut | volume = 54 | issue = 8 | pages = 1121–1125 | date = August 2005 | pmid = 16009685 | pmc = 1774897 | doi = 10.1136/gut.2004.049460 }}</ref> Lower doses of azathioprine are used as a therapy in children with refractory or corticosteroid-dependent Crohn's disease, without causing many side effects.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kirschner BS | title = Safety of azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease | journal = Gastroenterology | volume = 115 | issue = 4 | pages = 813–821 | date = October 1998 | pmid = 9753482 | doi = 10.1016/S0016-5085(98)70251-3 | doi-access = free }}</ref> It may also be used to prevent flares in those with [[ulcerative colitis]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Timmer A, Patton PH, Chande N, McDonald JW, MacDonald JK | title = Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine for maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 2016 | issue = 5 | pages = CD000478 | date = May 2016 | pmid = 27192092 | pmc = 7034525 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD000478.pub4 }}</ref>