"Higher Adalimumab Levels Tied to Crohn's Disease Remission" - David Douglas
In patients with Crohn’s disease on maintenance therapy with adalimumab, higher levels of the anti-TNF agent are associated with biologic remission, according to Scottish researchers. Regular endoscopic assessment to guide treatment is both invasive and costly, and therapeutic-drug monitoring is being increasingly adopted. Jean-Frederic Colombel, MD, director of the Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Clinical Center at Mount Sinai said, “This is another one of multiple retrospective studies showing correlation and not causation between biologic drug levels and outcomes.” He added, “So far, prospective studies have been negative and unable to show that treating to drug levels was associated with better outcomes that treating to symptoms.” This, he noted, is why the American Gastroenterological Association has not as yet endorsed proactive therapeutic-drug monitoring.
— Jean-Frédéric Colombel, MD, Professor, Medicine, Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director, Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Clinical Center at Mount Sinai