Updates in the Medical Management of Crohn’s Disease

Abstract

Since the publication of our last article, Current and Emerging Strategies in the Management of Crohn’s Disease, several major advances have occurred in the field of IBD care. Perhaps the most visible are the additions of vedolizumab and ustekinumab to the spectrum of medical therapies. Other key trends, such as a more aggressive approach to treatment, termed “top-down therapy”, drug monitoring, the use of noninvasive disease markers, reduction in mesalamine usage, and the rise of synthetic drugs termed “biosimilars” merit discussion as well. Additionally, numerous new therapeutic targets are under study. In this review, we aim to highlight updates and contemporary trends in the medical treatment of Crohn’s Disease (CD) for the gastroenterologist and the primary care physician.