title: Treatment algorithms in Crohn's - up, down or something else?
abstract: Crohn's disease is a chronic, progressive and disabling condition. New therapeutic goals have emerged in Crohn's disease such as the need to look beyond symptoms by achieving mucosal healing that is known to be associated with better outcomes. Anti-TNF (Tumour Necrosis Factor) therapy is the most potent drug class to induce and maintain mucosal healing in Crohn's disease. Recent evidence indicates that the efficacy profile of thiopurines has been overestimated while the increased risk of malignancies (lymphoma, non-melanoma skin cancers, myeloid disorders) has been underestimated. Methotrexate is well-tolerated, but its potential for disease modification is unknown. Achieving mucosal healing in patients with early Crohn's disease might be the best way to change disease course and patients' life. In 2014, anti-TNF treatment should be the first-line therapy in patients with Crohn's disease who suffer from severe and/or complicated disease and in those with poor prognostic factors. In the remaining patients, a rapid step-up approach based on a tight monitoring is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, Nice Teaching Hospital (CHU), 06200 Nice, France. Electronic address: antunes.o@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Ophélie
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, Nice Teaching Hospital (CHU), 06200 Nice, France. Electronic address: filippi.j@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Filippi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, Nice Teaching Hospital (CHU), 06200 Nice, France. Electronic address: hebuterne.x@chu-nice.fr.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hébuterne
authors.affiliation: Inserm U954 and Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Nancy, Université de Lorraine, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France. Electronic address: peyrinbiroulet@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peyrin-Biroulet
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000465:Algorithms; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068582:Certolizumab Pegol; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C488629:azathiopurine; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D000069285:Infliximab; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068582:Certolizumab Pegol; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: Anti-TNF; Crohn's disease; Mucosal healing; Step-up; Top–down