Are we giving azathioprine too late? The case for early immunomodulation in inflammatory bowel disease

作     者：María Josefina Etchevers Montserrat Aceituno Miquel Sans 

作者机构：Department of Gastroenterology Hospital Posadas Buenos Aires Argentina Department of Gastroenterology Hospital Clínic i Provincial/IDIBAPS Barcelona CIBER Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas Spain 

出 版 物：《World Journal of Gastroenterology》 (世界胃肠病学杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2008年第14卷第36期

页      面：5512-5518页

核心收录：

学科分类：1007[医学-药学(可授医学、理学学位)] 1002[医学-临床医学] 100201[医学-内科学(含：心血管病、血液病、呼吸系病、消化系病、内分泌与代谢病、肾病、风湿病、传染病)] 10[医学] 

基　　金：Grants from Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia(SAF2005-00280) to MS 

主　　题：Inflammatory bowel disease Crohn's disease Ulcerative colitis Immunosuppressants Azathioprine 

摘      要：Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes two entities, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Both are chronic conditions with frequent complications and surgical procedures and a great impact on patient’s quality of life. The thiopurine antimetabolites azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine are widely used in IBD patients. Current indications include maintenance therapy, steroid-dependant disease, fistula closure, prevention of infliximab immunogenicity and prevention of Crohn’s disease recurrence. Surprisingly, the wide use of immunosuppressants in the last decades has not decreased the need of surgery, probably because these treatments are introduced at too late stages in disease course. An earlier use of immunossupressants is now advocated by some authors. The rational includes: (1) failure to modify IBD natural history of present therapeutic approach, (2) demonstration that azathioprine can induce mucosal healing, a relevant prognostic factor for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and (3) demonstration that early immunossupression has a very positive impact on pediatric, recently diagnosed Crohn’s disease patients. We are now awaiting the results of new studies, to clarify the contribution of azathioprine, as compared to infliximab (SONIC Study), and to demonstrate the usefulness of azathioprine in recently diagnosed adult Crohn’s disease patients (AZTEC study).