Infusion Therapy for Crohn's Disease

Overview

Crohn's disease is a lifelong form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Inflammation can occur anywhere along the digestive tract, most often at the end of the small intestine and in the colon, and it can reach deep into the bowel wall. Symptoms tend to come and go in flares. Treatment aims to calm inflammation, ease symptoms and help prevent complications such as strictures and fistulas.

Common Signs and Symptoms

• Ongoing diarrhea, sometimes with blood
• Cramping or abdominal pain
• Tiredness and low energy
• Weight loss or poor appetite
• Fever during flares
• Pain, swelling or drainage around the anus

When to Contact a Provider

Talk to a provider about bowel changes that last more than a few days, blood in the stool, belly pain that keeps coming back, or weight loss you can't explain. Severe pain, a high fever, or vomiting with a swollen belly can be signs of a complication and need urgent care.

How Treatment May Help

For moderate to severe Crohn's disease, a gastroenterologist may prescribe a biologic that targets a specific part of the immune response. These medicines may help reduce symptoms, heal the bowel lining, and achieve and maintain remission for some patients. Some are given by IV infusion throughout treatment; others start with IV doses and continue as injections under the skin.

Therapies That May Be Available at Infuse Care

• Remicade, Avsola, Inflectra and Renflexis (infliximab products): IV infusion
• Entyvio (vedolizumab): IV infusion; some patients may later switch to injections for maintenance
• Stelara (ustekinumab): one IV starting dose, then injections under the skin
• Skyrizi (risankizumab): IV starting doses, then injections under the skin
• Cimzia (certolizumab pegol): injection under the skin

Safety and Monitoring

Biologic medicines can raise the risk of infections, so your provider will usually screen for tuberculosis and hepatitis B before you start and review your vaccines. Infusion or injection reactions can occur, and our nurses monitor you during and after each treatment.

Some medicines in this group carry a small increased risk of certain cancers. Your gastroenterologist will review the benefits and risks of each option with you.

Your prescribing provider decides which treatment is right for you. Infuse Care administers prescribed therapies after a referral, a clinical review and any required insurance authorization, and we keep your provider's office updated on your care.