title: Mucosal healing and anti TNFs in IBD.
abstract: Mucosal healing has been incorporated in the assessment of treatment efficacy in ulcerative colitis, but in Crohn's disease this concept has only emerged after biological therapies have been evaluated in clinical trials. Systemic steroids don't induce mucosal healing in Crohn's disease, but purine analogues and anti TNF agents have a potential to heal mucosal ulcerations. Evidence for mucosal healing has now been provided for the anti TNF agents infliximab, adalimumab and certolizumab. For infliximab mucosal healing is associated with a reduction in hospitalizations and surgeries. On the contrary, the benefit of treating patients with IBD more intensively until they achieve mucosal healing has not been proven. In clinical practice assessing mucosal healing should be considered in patients with persistent symptoms despite adequate therapy and when treatment discontinuation is being considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Leuven University Hospitals, 49 Herestraat, Leuven, Belgium. Gert.vanassche@uzleuven.be
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van Assche
authors.forename: Séverine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vermeire
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rutgeerts
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068582:Certolizumab Pegol; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068582:Certolizumab Pegol