Infection Risk With Biologic Therapy in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2017 Oct;102(4):633-641. doi: 10.1002/cpt.791. Epub 2017 Aug 16.

Abstract

The development of biologic drugs revolutionized the management of inflammatory bowel diseases: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, while their efficacy has been well established, it remains uncertain to what extent biologic treatments may be associated with important safety risks, such as serious infections, opportunistic infections, or tuberculosis reactivation. Herein, we review and discuss the current evidence on the infection risk associated with biologic therapy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Biological Therapy / adverse effects
  • Biological Therapy / methods*
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / adverse effects
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Infections / epidemiology*
  • Infections / etiology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Opportunistic Infections / epidemiology
  • Opportunistic Infections / etiology
  • Tuberculosis / epidemiology

Substances

  • Immunologic Factors