title: The use of the anti-tumour necrosis factor monoclonal antibody--infliximab--to treat ulcerative colitis: implications and trends beyond the available data.
abstract: The monoclonal antibody to the tumour necrosis factor--infliximab--has recently been added to the list of off-label therapeutic means for ulcerative colitis. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the results from studies on the use of the drug published so far. A total of 187 patients qualified for analysis. They were divided into four main categories, including steroid-refractory and responsive adults and children. The median frequencies of an early and a sustained response were 77 and 44.5%. These data suggest that adult non-steroid-refractory, and paediatric patients may respond with the highest frequency. While it is obligatory to wait for the yield of the ongoing controlled trials before any conclusion on these indications is drawn, the data provide seminal ideas to further investigations, including the hypothesis to inaugurate with infliximab a top-down strategy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Digestive and Nutritional Diseases, "Molinette" Hospital, Corso Bramante 88, 10126 Turin, Italy. simona.rossetti@flv.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossetti
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Actis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fadda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rizzetto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palmo
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab