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Review article: immunosuppressive therapy for inflammatory bowel disease

R A Kozarek1

  • 1Virginia Mason Clinic, Seattle, Washington 98101.

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics
|April 1, 1993
PubMed

Refractory inflammatory bowel disease can be treated by surgery or using nutritional supplementation or replacement. Immunosuppressive agents may also play a role for refractory disease; they have gained widespread acceptance, due not only to trials that demonstrate efficacy but also to the realization that these side-effects are minor compared to those associated with long-term, high-dose corticosteroids. To date, 6-mercaptopurine and azathioprine remain the drugs of choice based upon extensive clinical experience, but both methotrexate and cyclosporin are promising immunosuppressants for otherwise refractory disease.

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