Standard immunosuppression in IBD : current practice

The use of immunosuppressive drug therapy in the treatment of IBD has a long history. Although preliminary experience with agents such as, azathioprine (AZA) and 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) began in the 1960s, only in the past decade has the use of these drugs to treat patients with refractory Crohn's disease become a standard of care. Enthusiasm for the use of immunosuppression in ulcerative colitis has also increased but remains limited. This article reviews the current use of immunosuppressive therapy for both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.