Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s Disease and Natalizumab

Factual Questions
1

I have Crohn’s Disease and my specialist has suggested I take part in a trial for a new drug (In Australia) called Natalizumab.

There is some concern for me over the number and type of side effects that were listed on the study information sheet.

So I did a search on google - Results.

What really shocked me was that all the results came up mentioning Multiple Sclerosis, which my mum was diagnosed with in 1988. This is so odd, is there a link between MS and Crohn’s or is it just that they need similar treatment?

Also I haven’t had much luck looking for info specifically relating to Natalizumab and Crohn’s. I’m worried not only because of the side effects but because I will not be allowed to take any of my current medication. If I relapse and am put on steroids then I’m no longer in the study and relapse is a possibility in a study where I could be given a placebo. Really would like more info so I can make an informed choice about participating in this study.

2

MS and Crohn’s may be weakly linked. This would not be terribly unexpected since both diseases may be “autoimmune” in nature.

There also may be a familial association between the two (inaccessible abstract). I read this article years ago and recall that the linkage was impressive. Still, the paucity of similar reports, despite what I’m sure would have been a concerted effort to document such an association, makes me think the link between the two is either very weak or non-existent.

Note that, to a very large extent, only “positive” studies get published. So, the presence of one or two weakly positive studies is not too helpful. Likely, there were dozens of negative studies that remained unpublished.