[Current concepts about the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, biological therapy].

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine,which frequently require surgery for complications or failure of medical therapy. OBJECTIVE: We seek evidence and provide direction for clinicians about the optimal use of biologic therapy in order to enable steroid free remission in inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: Scientific literature was reviewed using MEDLINE with a specific focus on biologic medical therapies for inducing and maintaining remission of Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis. RESULTS: Several therapies have demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of active, moderate-to-severe Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis. These include agents which induce remission [infliximab, certolizumaband adalimumab (CD only)] or maintain remission and spare corticosteroids [infliximab,certolizumab and adalimumab (CD only)]. In the patient with UC there is evidence about the efficacy of Infliximab for induce remission in moderate to-severe cases. We present additional information about new drugs in development for the treatment of both diseases. CONCLUSION: There are evidence about the efficacy and safety of biologic therapies that maximize remission and minimize corticosteroid dependence in patients with moderate-to-severe CD and UC.