Choosing Therapy for Moderate to Severe Crohn's Disease

The availability of approved therapies for Crohn's disease has significantly increased over the past decade. To choose the appropriate therapy for the patient, ideally head to head studies, and data on positioning could help the provider individualize the decision. Due to the paucity of head-to-head trial data, we turn to network meta-analysis and real-world studies to help guide our treatment choices. Ultimately, the best approach is to consider each patient on an individual basis, taking into consideration the characteristics of their disease, individual risk factors, extra-intestinal manifestations, co-morbid conditions, patient age, cost, and personal preferences. In this review, we summarize the evidence comparing biologic as well as small molecule therapies for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease. We have summarized the evidence in relation to factors such as efficacy, fistulizing disease, pregnancy, infection risk, and co-existing conditions.