Azathioprine is a pro-drug that is converted into 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP)  and is subsequently metabolized by one of three different enzymes to form either active or inactive metabolites .

There is substantial inter-individual variation…

Glucocorticoids are highly effective for the short- term control of Crohn’s disease-related symptoms, but they are less effective for maintenance of remission, and have significant adverse effects that preclude safe long-term administration.

They work by…

Integrins are glycoproteins expressed on the surface of circulating leukocytes and mediate their adhesion to the vascular endothelium and their subsequent migration into adjacent tissue.

Anti- integrin therapies have been developed to selectively…

Antibiotics have a role in treating infectious complications of Crohn’s disease, including perianal and intra-abdominal abscesses, and in the longer term management of perianal fistulizing disease, and prevention of recurrence after ileocecal resection. Antibiotics may also…

TNF- α  is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of IBD and has been found in increased concentrations in the mucosa and stool of patients with…

Treatment options for Crohn’s disease have been developing and expanding rapidly over the past 10 years. Multiple classes of medications are currently available to treat Crohn’s disease, including 5-aminosalicylates…

To understand the historical evolution of the disease, a review of its initial definition is critical. In 1932, Crohn, Ginzburg, and Oppenheimer identified 14 cases of inflammatory disease…

The natural history of Crohn’s disease involves fiuctuating periods of disease quiescence punctuated by episodes of exacerbation.  Cumulative bowel injury occurs over time with chronic smoldering inflammation and is accelerated by disease flares such…

Methotrexate is a structural analogue of folic acid that competitively inhibits its binding to its receptors and has demonstrated effectiveness for treating several autoimmune diseases,  including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.  Possible mechanisms of its anti-inflammatory…

Crohn,  Ginzburg,  and Oppenheimer all graduated from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons and subsequently succeeded in becoming house staff at the Mount Sinai Hospital. Their…

There is no doubt that the existence of Crohn’s disease has pre-dated our ability to understand and define it. In fact, a precise definition continues to elude us to this day, relying…