Clinical Update: Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) which is well known as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis is a chronic disorder that repeats improvement and exacerbation. The possible causes of the disease are environmental factors, genetic factors and immune deficiency resulted from bacterial infection. Recently, IL-23 is proved to be a main cytokine which has a central role in Crohn’s disease. The diagnosis of IBD is made by clinical manifestation, serologic test, endoscopic finding and histologic finding. The mainstay of remission and maintenance therapy of ulcerative colitis is 5-aminosalicylate(5-ASA). Steroid can be used in severe or refractory case and nowadays, budesonide shows a good effect with minimal side effects. In cases of steroid dependent, we can use the immunomodulators such as azathioprine, cyclosporin and 6-thioguanine. The cytokine associated with inflammation of IBD has been emphasized and the treatment which targets the cytokine such as tumor necrosis factor is tried. Infliximab and adalimumab block tumor necrosis factors-a and they are proved the efficacy by many clinical trial. Leukocytapheresis(LCAP) is tried in ulcerative colitis since 1980 in Japan. When we treat IBD patients, we need to consider all the things such as safety, side effects and economy of the patients. We expect that the development of new biologic agent which is more cost effective and more effect with more convinience.