How to manage difficult Crohn’s disease: optimum delivery of anti-TNFs

Abstract

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that can involve any portion of the GI tract, leading to disabling symptoms and complications. Standard treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid, antibiotics, corticosteroids and immunosuppressives has limited efficacy and is associated with serious potential adverse events. The anti-TNF-α agents are effective in the induction and maintenance of remission in luminal and fistulizing Crohn’s disease. Recent evidence suggests that early treatment with anti-TNF agents and immunosuppressives may alter the natural history of the disease and prevent late complications. In those patients who have lost response to, or are intolerant of, a single anti-TNF agent, increasing the dose of the medication or switching to alternate biologic agents, such as another anti-TNF drug or natalizumab, have been shown to be effective treatments.

Keywords::

• anti-TNF
• Crohn’s disease
• immunosuppressive

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Brian Bressler has received honoraria from Schering Plough, Abbott and UCB. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.