Differences between treatment guidelines--Germany

When looking at different treatment guidelines the topics most debated for Crohn's disease are the following: (a) the use of mesalamine for remission induction and maintenance in mild to moderate Crohn's disease; (b) the early use of anti-TNF antibodies in Crohn's disease with or without classical immunomodulators for remission induction, and (c) remission induction in steroid-refractory disease with anti-TNF antibodies or calcineurin inhibitors. The topics mentioned above will be discussed with regard to the statements of the German Gastroenterology Association (DGVS) on the basis of the underlying evidence.