title: [Treatment with chimeric monoclonal antitumor necrosis factor (infliximab) of patients with active steroid-dependent/resistant Crohn's disease and fistulas].
abstract: 30 patients--13 with active steroid-dependent/resistant Crohn's disease (CD), 8 with active steroid-dependent/resistant disease complicated by fistulas and 9 with fistulas only (perianal or abdominal)--were treated with infliximab. "Clinical response or remission" were defined as the reduction by 70 or more points or below 150 points of the CDAI score, respectively. As regards fistulas, "response" was defined as the reduction of 50 percent or more from baseline in the number of draining fistulas or of the quantity of drainage, "remission" as their closure. At 8 weeks 13/21 (61.9%) patients treated for active disease went on remission and 6/21 (28.5%) had a clinical response; 6/17 (35.2%) patients treated for fistulas went on remission and 8/17 (47%) had a response, while 3/17 (17.6%) didn't have any response. At 24 weeks, 9/12 (75%) patients treated for active disease and 13/16 (81.25%) treated for fistulas had a recurrence in a median time of 18.3 weeks (range, 1-36 weeks) after the first infusion.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Medicina e Pneumologia, Clinica Medica R, Azienda Ospedaliera V. Cervello, Palermo.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martorana
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casà
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orlando
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cottone
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007412:Intestinal Fistula / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012003:Rectal Fistula / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D000069285:Infliximab