What is the Role of Immunosuppressive Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

There are a number of reasons for using immunosuppressive therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). First is the chronicity of the problem. The second is that many of the available drugs are not effective. A third reason is the high recurrence rate following surgical removal of the disease. A fourth factor has to do with the varied immunological markers seen in patients with IBD. We see arthritis, erythema nodosum, and numerous in vivo and in vitro immunological abnormalities. All of these suggest that this immune reaction is an impartial factor in perpetuating this disease.