Medical options for treating Crohn's disease in adults: focus on antitumor necrosis factor-alpha chimeric monoclonal antibody.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can present with symptoms throughout the gastrointestinal system. Though the etiology of Crohn's disease is unknown, genetic and environmental factors seem to play a role. An imbalance of proinflammatory versus antiinflammatory cytokines is responsible for many of the symptoms. Tumor necrosis factor alpha, a potent proinflammatory cytokine, plays a particularly important role. Several treatment modalities for Crohn's disease exist, recently including antitumor necrosis factor chimeric monoclonal antibody (cA2). Treatment for Crohn's disease, including data on the safety and efficacy of cA2, will be reviewed.
Wall
G C
GC
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa 50311-4505, USA.
Heyneman
C
C
Pfanner
T P
TP
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha