Our experiences with infliximab in the treatment of Crohn's disease

Introduciton Hungarian experiences with infliximab are from 2000. An Expanded Access Program started then in 6 Hungarian centers. 60 patients got a chance with the treatment of infliximab. After a long and hard professional work the infliximab became available for the Crohn's patients in certain centers. Gastroenterological centre of the Semmelweis Teaching Hospital took part the Expanded access Program and became one of the infliximab centers.

Materials and methods: We treated 200 patients with fistulas and 8 serious Crohn's patients refracter to the conventional treatment.

Results: 8 patients with fistulas responded very well, the fistulas have closed definitely, 3 patients were non-responder, 9 were partial responder (the number of fistulas were decreased, part time closing). In the other group 6 patients were responder (CDAI decreasing), 2 were non-responder. We have very good experiences in the treatment of the extraintestinalis manifestation. 2 patients with erythema nodosum, 2 with pyoderma gangraenosum and 1 with serious polyarthralgy were responded quickly. 7 patient had to be operated on: 3 pts latex string fistula treatment, 1 fistulectomy, 1 resection, 1 corpus alien removing, 1 rectal dilatation, 1 rectal exstirpation. More than 100 infusion section we did not observe serious life threatening adverse events. We experienced infusion reaction in about 8% of our patients but intravenous steroid and other symptomatic therapy were effective. According to the long time adverse events we didn't observed any infection, a bronchial maligmancy developed in 1 patient, 2 patients had to be operated on with the progression of the stenosis