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Compare Entocort vs. Trexall

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

Entocort EC (budesonide) and Trexall (methotrexate) are both prescription medications, but they are used for different conditions and belong to different drug classes. Entocort EC is a corticosteroid used to treat mild-to-moderate Crohn's disease by reducing inflammation in the intestines. It is taken once daily and can cause side effects like headaches and respiratory infections. Trexall, on the other hand, is an antimetabolite used to treat various cancers and autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. It works by blocking cell growth and is typically taken once a week. Common side effects of Trexall include mouth sores and nausea. Unlike Entocort EC, Trexall can cause serious side effects like liver damage and low blood cell counts. Additionally, Trexall requires regular lab tests to monitor for these side effects. While both medications can increase the risk of infections, Trexall has a broader range of serious potential side effects compared to Entocort EC.

Budesonide
Methotrexate (Trexall)
Budesonide
Methotrexate (Trexall)
Summary of Entocort vs. Trexall
Summary for Corticosteroid
Prescription only
Budesonide is a corticosteroid that's used to treat mild-to-moderate Crohn's disease in adults and children. It's available as capsules that are taken by mouth once daily. The most common side effects are headache and respirator infections. More rarely, it might cause weight gain too.
Summary for Antimetabolite
Prescription only
Methotrexate (Trexall) belongs to a drug class called antimetabolites. It’s used as chemotherapy at high doses to kill cancer cells and treat different cancers, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). At lower doses, methotrexate (Trexall) is considered a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) that treats certain non-cancer conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This medication is a tablet that you take by mouth. For most conditions, it’s taken once a week, but for some, it’s taken more often than that. Methotrexate (Trexall) side effects include mouth sores, nausea, and stomach upset.
Indications of Entocort vs. Trexall
Indications for

•Mild-to-moderate active Crohn's disease in people ages 8 years and older

•Maintenance of remission of Crohn's disease in adults

Indications for
Cancer:

•Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults and children; given with other chemotherapy

•Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in adults; given by itself or with other chemotherapy

•Advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults; given with other chemotherapy

Non-cancer conditions:

•Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults

•Polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) in children

•Severe psoriasis in adults
Pros and Cons of Entocort vs. Trexall
Pros and Const for Corticosteroid
Pros

•Works where you have symptoms in your intestines (gut)

•Might cause fewer side effects than other steroids

•Taken once a day

•Available as a lower-cost generic

Cons

•Not recommended for long-term use

•Might not work as well as other steroids like prednisone

•Can raise your risk for infections

•Can take a couple months to see full benefit from the medication

Pros and Const for Antimetabolite
Pros

•Taken by mouth, so a good option for people who don’t like needles

•A non-steroidal option for autoimmune conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis)

•Doesn’t typically cause hair loss or weight gain

Cons

•Might cause nausea and mouth sores

•Can raise your risk for infection

•Requires regular office visits and lab tests to check for serious side effects
Common Side Effects of Entocort vs. Trexall
Common Side Effects for
Treatment of active, mild-to-moderate Crohn’s disease:

•Headache (21%)

•Infection in your air passageway (respiratory infection; 11%)

•Nausea (11%)

•Back pain (7%)

•Dizziness (7%)

•Upset stomach or indigestion (6%)

•Gas (6%)

•Stomach pain (6%)

•Vomiting (6%)

•Feeling tired (5%)

•Pain (5%)

Maintenance of remission of Crohn’s disease**:

•Diarrhea (10%)

•Sinus inflammation (8%)

•Viral infection (6%)

•Joint pain (5%)

** Side effects listed are in addition to those observed with treatment of active Crohn's disease.
Common Side Effects for

•Mouth sores

•Nausea or vomiting

•Diarrhea

•Stomach upset

•Dizziness

•Tiredness

•Chills

•Fever

•Infection

•Higher liver enzyme levels in the blood

•Low white blood cells

•Low platelet levels
Warnings of Entocort vs. Trexall
Common Side Effects for

•Changes in stress hormone levels in the body

•Higher risk of infections

•Worsening of certain medical conditions

Common Side Effects for

•Harm to unborn baby

•Allergic reaction

•Low blood cell counts

•Damage to the digestive tract

•Liver damage

•Lung problems

•Serious skin problems (including skin burns)

•Kidney damage

•Risk of serious side effects with dosing errors

•Effect on folic acid levels in the body

•Serious infections

•Serious nervous system problems

•Risk for new cancers

•Tumor lysis syndrome

•Changes to your ability to have children (infertility)

•Higher risk for side effects if you have extra body fluid
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Learn more about Budesonide
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Key takeaways

Summary of Entocort vs. Trexall

Indications of Entocort vs. Trexall

Pros and Cons of Entocort vs. Trexall

Common Side Effects of Entocort vs. Trexall

Warnings of Entocort vs. Trexall

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