Biological Therapy in IBD—Is There Any Optimal End Point?

Klaudia Farkas,Tamás Molnár

doi:10.4236/health.2014.611158

Abstract

Biological therapy has been used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD-Crohn’s disease [CD], ulcerative colitis [UC]) for more than a decade. Although guidelines exist on how to start and adjust biological therapy, information on when and how it should be stopped is still scarce. In this review, our aim is to summarize the results of the recently published papers on the outcome of the discontinuation of biological therapy in patients with CD and UC.

Highlights

Biological therapy has been used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD-Crohn’s disease [CD], ulcerative colitis [UC]) for more than a decade
This review aims to summarize the results of the recently published papers on the outcome of the discontinuation of biological therapy in patients with CD and UC
Molnár come of discontinuation of infliximab and adalimumab therapy using the medical subject headings “ulcerative colitis”, “Crohn’s disease”, “infliximab”, “adalimumab”, “biological therapy”, “stop”, “discontinuation”

Summary

Introduction

Biological therapy has been used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD-Crohn’s disease [CD], ulcerative colitis [UC]) for more than a decade. Biological therapies are indicated in steroid-refractory, steroiddependent and/or immunomodulator-refractory IBD and in patients intolerant to these conventional therapies. Patients who responded to an induction regimen with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy should be considered for scheduled re-treatment with or without concomitant immunomodulators. Despite the detailed guidelines about the indication and the use of biological therapy, the very important question about the optimal time of its discontinuation is still scarce. This review aims to summarize the results of the recently published papers on the outcome of the discontinuation of biological therapy in patients with CD and UC. Molnár come of discontinuation of infliximab and adalimumab therapy using the medical subject headings “ulcerative colitis”, “Crohn’s disease”, “infliximab”, “adalimumab”, “biological therapy”, “stop”, “discontinuation”. Studies directly analyzing the outcome of the discontinuation of anti TNF-α therapy were eligible for inclusion

Studies on the Discontinuation of Biological Therapy

Findings

Discussion