title: Long-term durability of Crohn's disease treatment with infliximab.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a paucity of data providing insight into the durability of Crohn's disease treatment with infliximab for periods longer than 12 months. Our aim was to assess the long-term durability of infliximab therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 198 Crohn's patients under a maintenance regimen with infliximab, with at least a 30-month follow-up, were evaluated retrospectively. Long-term response maintenance was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The effect of specific variables was calculated using logistic regression and proportional hazard regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maintenance of response rates at 72 months was estimated to be 66.4% for initial responders and 58.2% for all patients treated. Concurrent immunomodulators enhanced response maintenance in all patients treated, particularly if started >3 months before the initiation of infliximab therapy. Smoking significantly decreased the maintenance of response in initial responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Infliximab treatment of Crohn's disease is reasonably durable beyond 12 months. Concurrent immunosuppressive therapy may increase - and smoking may decrease - long-term response maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Minnesota Gastroenterology, P.A., 15700 37th Avenue North, Plymouth, MN 55446, USA. rpmccabe@comcast.net
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rudolph
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: McCabe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D000069285:Infliximab