Abstract
Crohn 's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Both can be treated with medications that induce and maintain remission.
The choice of medication i s influenced by the balance between drug potency and potenti al side-effects, previous response to treatment, and the presence of extraintestinal manifestations or complications. After remission has been achieved, the goal of treatment is to maintain the symptom-free status. 5-aminosalicylic acid derivatives have efficacy for maintenance of remission in patients with distal disease.
Thiopurines are recommended for the long-term therapy. For the patients who do not have a response to immunosuppressive therapy or cannot tolerate it, anti-TNF-alpha agents are gradually being adopted.
Effective in the remission maintenance are thiopurines, infliximab and adalimumab.