Patient Outcomes After Anti TNF-alpha Drugs for Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with a relatively high prevalence rate in North America. More than 50% of CD patients require surgery at some stage of their disease. Anti-TNF-alpha drugs are increasingly being used in patients with CD who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy. Treatment with anti-TNF-alpha agents aims at improving symptom control and reducing the need for hospitalization and surgery. This review examines the clinical effectiveness of three anti-TNF-alpha agents (infliximab, adalimumab and etanercept) in moderate and severe CD. The review further considers the evidence for the harms and benefits associated with switching from one anti-TNF-alpha agent to another and strategies to optimize the timing of therapy.