Therapy Adherence in Crohn's Disease: An Adult Case Study

Patients with Crohn's disease require long-term therapy and physician follow-up to treat symptoms, minimize complications of the disease, and address side effects that may occur due to therapeutic interventions. Once stabilized, it is not unusual for patients to question the need for continued therapy. This may be related to various factors including poor disease awareness, lack of adequate communication between the physician and the patient, not wanting to take medications chronically, and/or financial issues among a host of other possibilities. However, nonadherence can have a serious impact on morbidity and mortality in patients with Crohn's disease. This case illustrates the management and stabilization of a patient with active Crohn's disease and the use of diagnostic serological testing to aid in disease risk assessment and treatment guidance.