CURRENT MEDICAL THERAPY FOR INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE

Traditional medical therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) inclu des corticosteroids and sulfasalazine. In recent years, several mesala mine derivatives of sulfasalazine have become available. These allow d elivery of increased dosages of active medication with minimal side ef fects, Newer steroid preparations, all investigational at this point, likely will offer efficacy similar to that of prednisone but with an i mproved side effect profile. Immunosuppressive agents, including 6-mer captopurine, azathioprine, and likely also methotrexate, are beneficia l in treating refractory IBD, particularly in patients with chronic st eroid dependence. Cyclosporine has been shown to be remarkably effecti ve in delaying colectomy for severe ulcerative colitis, but its long-t erm role remains uncertain.