Information about IBD
About Crohn’s Disease
Inflammatory bowel diseases are chronic inflammatory diseases of the bowel within which Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the most important. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract, but usually the last part of the small intestine and/or large intestine is affected.
About Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory diseases of the bowel of which Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the most important.
Medical treatment options
The treatment of both Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) has changed over the years. Although corticosteroids are still being used to induce clinical remission in case of severe symptoms, they cannot be maintained due to severe side-effects. Hence, aminosalicylates (UC only) or immunomodulators (thiopurines, methotrexate) are administered during induction and maintenance in the standard step-up approach.
Surgery for Crohn’s disease
Medical therapy is often the first treatment option for Crohn’s disease. Despite the introduction and diffusion of new effective drugs (biologicals), 70% of people with Crohn’s will eventually need surgery during the course of their disease.