[Current therapeutic possibilities in chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases]

Treatment of chronic inflammatory bowel disease can be divided into therapy of active disease, strategies in chronic, active disease and prevention of relapse. In Crohn's disease as well as in ulcerative colitis steroids are of major importance in the treatment of active disease. For ulcerative colitis 5-aminosalicylic acid is used in addition, in particular with mild or moderate disease. It is used for prevention of relapse in chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Immunosuppressive drugs are indicated in chronic, active Crohn's disease, while surgery is important in ulcerative colitis. New developments are predominantly related to nonsystemic steroids, which are studied in different modalities of galenic preparations.