title: Patient outcomes after anti TNF-alpha drugs for Crohn's disease.
abstract: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with a relatively high prevalence rate in North America. More than 50% of CD patients require surgery at some stage of their disease. Anti-TNF-alpha drugs are increasingly being used in patients with CD who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy. Treatment with anti-TNF-alpha agents aims at improving symptom control and reducing the need for hospitalization and surgery. This review examines the clinical effectiveness of three anti-TNF-alpha agents (infliximab, adalimumab and etanercept) in moderate and severe CD. The review further considers the evidence for the harms and benefits associated with switching from one anti-TNF-alpha agent to another and strategies to optimize the timing of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Programs for Assessment of Technology in Health Research Institute, St Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, 25 Main Street West, Suite 2000 ON, Canada. assasin@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Nazila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Assasi
authors.forename: Gord
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blackhouse
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: E Jan
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Irvine
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gaebel
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Robertson
authors.forename: Kaitryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goeree
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000068800:Etanercept; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept