Pediatric ulcerative colitis: current treatment approaches including role of infliximab

iatric ulcerative colitis: current treatment approaches including role of infliximab Review (2747) Total Article Views Authors: Bradley GM, Oliva-Hemker M Published Date June 2012 Volume 2012:6 Pages 125 - 134 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/BTT.S31833 Received: 16 March 2012 Accepted: 20 April 2012 Published: 05 June 2012 Gia M Bradley, Maria Oliva-Hemker Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Abstract: Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can lead to derangements in the growth, nutritional status, and psychosocial development of affected children. There are several medical options for the induction and maintenance of disease remission, but the benefits of these medications need to be carefully weighed against the risks, especially in the pediatric population. As the etiology of the disease has become increasingly understood, newer therapeutic alternatives have arisen in the form of biologic therapies, which are monoclonal antibodies targeted to a specific protein or receptor. This review will discuss the classical treatments for children with ulcerative colitis, including 5-aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, thiopurine immunomodulators, and calcineurin inhibitors, with a particular focus on the newer class of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α agents.