Ventajas de la medición de niveles plasmáticos de infliximab en pacientes con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease includes Crohn ́s disease, ulcerative colitis and unclassified
 colitis. Conventional therapies used for treating these diseases are often insufficient or
 contraindicated and biological agents have proved to be effective and safe in these cases.
 Infliximab is a quimeric IgG1 monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody that is capable
 of inducing and mantaining clinical remission in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
 Despite its proven efficacy a considerable group of patients lose response requiring changes
 in therapy. Serum Infliximab trough levels are correlated with clinical response, endoscopic
 remission and mucosal healing in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Monitoring and
 adjusting therapy guided by drug serum levels have proved to be more cost-effective and safer
 than empiric adjustments. Current international guidelines recommend the measurement of
 Infliximab trough levels in the global evaluation and management of these patients to improve
 treatment, avoid adverse events and unnecessary costs.