title: Infliximab for the treatment of pouchitis.
abstract: Pouchitis is not a rare complication that develops after an ileal-pouch anastomosis, performed after colectomy in patients refractory to treatment or with complicated ulcerative colitis. This condition may become chronic and unresponsive to medical therapies, including corticosteroids, antibiotics and probiotics. The advent of biological therapies (tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors) has changed the course of these complications. In particular, in these cases, infliximab (IFX) may represent a safe and effective therapy in order to avoid the subsequent operation for a permanent ileostomy. This article reviews the therapeutic effects of one of the most widely used anti-tumor necrosis factor-α molecules, IFX, for the treatment of complicated pouchitis (refractory to conventional treatment and/or fistulizing).
authors.affiliation: Maddalena Zippi, Roberta Pica, Unit of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, Sandro Pertini Hospital, 00157 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zippi
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cassieri
authors.forename: Eleonora Veronica
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Avallone
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pica
keywords: Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis; Infliximab; Pouchitis; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Ulcerative colitis