Stopping Anti-TNF in CD Remitters: Cons

Crohn’s disease may cause a life-long disease burden in many aspects due to its progressive nature. A large proportion of refractory patients have been benefiting from scheduled maintenance anti-TNF treatment; therefore, strategy to stop anti-TNF agents in Crohn’s disease is not widely conducted. There have been observational studies demonstrating that approximately half of the patients relapse within a year after discontinuation. Several factors have been suggested as potential predictors for relapse; however, a consensus has not been reached so far. Although most relapse can be rescued by the re-treatment with the same anti-TNF agent, a proportion of patients may result in progressive bowel damage and the need for surgery. Therefore, an attempt to stop anti-TNF is not recommended without careful discussion, even if they are in long-term remission.