title: Refractory IBD: medical management.
abstract: Refractory inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be defined as persistent acute symptomatic disease despite anti-inflammatory therapy or as chronically active disease requiring continuous treatment for relief of symptoms. Treatment options include azathioprine (AZA), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), methotrexate (MTX), cyclosporine (CYA), and experimental therapies that are cytokines or cytokine antagonists. AZA and 6-MP have identical actions in IBD. 6-MP is effective in about 75% of patients with inflammatory Crohn's disease. The mean time until the onset of action is 3.1 months. AZA is effective in ulcerative colitis as a steroid-sparing agent. Side-effects occur in 10-15% of patients on AZA or 6-MP for IBD. MTX induces symptomatic remission in about 40% of patients with Crohn's disease. The potential for hepatic fibrosis from MTX is a concern. CYA appears effective in the acute management of severe ulcerative colitis. CYA has not proven useful in the long-term management of Crohn's disease. Potentially serious side-effects include hypertension and renal insufficiency. The cytokine antagonist, anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha antibody, and the anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 10, appear promising for the treatment of Crohn's disease.
authors.affiliation: Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic, Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Tremaine
mesh_terms: D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016753:Interleukin-10; D016572:Cyclosporine; D001379:Azathioprine; D008727:Methotrexate