| Theme |
Tips and up-to-date of the medical therapy for ulcerative colitis |
| Title |
Anti-TNF-α antibody and thiopurine for the treatment of ulcerative colitis |
| Author |
Kanae Tsutsui |
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine |
| Author |
Masayuki Saruta |
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] |
In Japan, 5-ASA (5-aminosalicylic acid), thiopurine, and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antibody are used in maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC). Because almost 70 percent of UC patients undergo remission with 5-ASA only, it is important to consider treatments for patients with refractory UC. Thiopurine is an important maintenance medication for refractory UC, even though it exhibits considerable individual variability in dose and requires a long duration to show therapeutic efficacy. Although anti-TNF-α antibody is a well-known and recognized medication for use in induction and maintenance therapy for UC, it causes new problems, such as overuse of medical resources and excessive treatments. One must consider appropriate indications of anti-TNF-α antibody treatment for UC owing to additional infectious problems and an increased risk for malignant tumor associated with its long-term administration. |