ECCO Guidelines on Therapeutics in Crohn's Disease: Medical Treatment

Crohn’s disease [CD] is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] that can result in progressive bowel damage and disability1. CD can affect individuals of any age, from children to the elderly, 2, 3 and may cause significant morbidity and impact on quality of life. Up to one-third of patients present with complicated behaviour [strictures, fistula, or abscesses] at diagnosis4. Most patients over time will develop a complication, with roughly 50% of patients requiring surgery within 10 years of diagnosis5-7. As the precise aetiology of CD remains unknown, a curative therapy is not yet available8. Several agents are available for the medical treatment of CD. Medical agents include mesalazine [5-ASA], locally…

• EC
  European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation
• AU
  Aalborg Universitet