Presented by the Temple University School of Medicine and
Medical Crossfire^®/Healthcare First.

Release Date: July 30, 2008
Expiration Date: July 30, 2009

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Centocor, Inc.

Patient management of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis remains a challenge since current treatment options only alleviate inflammation and reduce symptoms; they do not provide a cure or prevent long-term complications. However, effective management is possible and depends on establishing an accurate diagnosis and the ability to distinguish these diseases from one another, the exclusion of other disease entities, and matching treatment options with patient types. Regardless of the patient diagnosis, the goals of therapy are to achieve induction and maintain remission of the disease. Therefore it is necessary for the clinician to match disease severity with the appropriate treatment.

While the historical approach to therapy for these diseases has been to start slow and step-up therapy as needed, a new treatment paradigm has been offered that proposes an aggressive approach to therapy with biologics, depending on the patient’s disease severity at the time of diagnosis. The purpose of this aggressive approach is to establish induction and remission quickly, thereby preventing further disease progression and long-term complications. While all patients are not candidates for this aggressive approach, it provides an option for clinicians who want to utilize biologic therapy in cases of moderate to severe disease. With the approval of a number of biologics for the treatment of Crohn’s disease in the last year, understanding the patient types who would benefit from aggressive therapy and matching the patient to the appropriate treatment has become more complicated.

• Cite methods for establishing a differential diagnosis and disease severity in patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
• Identify specific patient-types, based on the patient cases presented, that will benefit from a more effective approach to therapy with biologics
• Describe clinical scenarios for which it is appropriate to initiate therapy with biologics and the use of this approach in establishing induction and maintaining remission

This educational activity is designed for gastroenterologists and other clinicians interested in or involved with the treatment of patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Temple University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.

Temple University School of Medicine is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the PA State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Temple University School of Medicine designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA Physician’s Recognition Award Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Temple University School of Medicine designates this education activity for a maximum of 1.5 Nursing Contact Hours.

It is the policy of Temple University School of Medicine, The Albert J. Finestone, MD, Office for Continuing Medical Education, to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its sponsored or jointly sponsored educational programs. All faculty participating in programs sponsored or jointly sponsored by Temple University School of Medicine are expected to disclose to the program audience any real or apparent conflict(s) of interest related to the content of their presentation(s).

The information presented at this CME program represents the views and opinions of the individual presenters, and does not constitute the opinion, endorsement of, or promotion by, Temple University School of Medicine, Temple University Health System, or its affiliates. Reasonable efforts have been taken intending for educational subject matter to be presented in a balanced, unbiased fashion and in compliance with regulatory requirements. However, each program attendee must always use his/her own personal and professional judgment when considering further application of this information, particularly as it may relate to patient diagnostic or treatment decisions including, without limitation, FDA-approved uses and any off-label uses.

Medical Crossfire^® is a registered trademark of Healthcare First.