Early or late guided missile in the treatment of Crohn's disease?

Over the last few years, much light has been shed on the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease. Further knowledge in this field has provided a firm basis not only in the understanding of current treatment but also for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Aim of these new agents is primarily to selectively interact with the key processes of intestinal inflammation. At present, only anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha antibodies namely infliximab, is licensed for clinical practice but it is feasible to foresee that, in the near future, a larger range of these agents will become available. Herein, the most promising biological agents in the treatment of Crohn's disease are outlined, which patients would benefit from these agents and when they should be administered. Attention is focused on the early (top-down) or late (step-up) use of biological agents, which for their very targeted mechanism of action may be compared to guided missiles. As yet, early use of biological agents remains to be supported by convincing evidence, nevertheless it may be advocated as first-line therapy for newly diagnosed severe Crohn's disease patients, both adults and children. (C) 2005 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.