The use of infliximab in South-east Asian children with severe Crohn's disease

• Main Author: Lee, W.S.
• Format: Article
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: R Medicine; RJ Pediatrics
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/10915/; http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1046/j.1442-200x.2004.01870.x/asset/j.1442-200x.2004.01870.x.pdf?v=1&t=hwrgsixt&s=868de4249563a591b68c9c9d39fdd5e3596cdc3d
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

Childhood Crohn's disease (CD) has a chronic relapsing course with a high morbidity which includes delayed puberty, impaired growth, and perianal disease1. It is most prevalent in North America, North-west Europe, and in the United Kingdom, and is rare in Asia1. Many children with CD eventually need corticosteroid to control symptoms1. Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) is a proinflammatory cytokine which is important in the pathogenesis of CD2. Infliximab (Remicade, Schering-Plough, Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA), a chimeric anti-TNFα monoclonal antibody, induces remission in patients with moderately to severely active CD and can reduce corticosteroid requirements3. We share our experience in the use of infliximab in three South-east Asian children with severe CD.