Authors' recommendations: Crohn's disease (CD) is a progressive, inflammatory bowel disease that can occur in any part of the digestive tract, affecting people of all ages. In children the disease is typically diagnosed from 12 to 16 years of age. In the United States, approximately 100,000 to 150,000 children aged 17 years have CD, and the incidence of pediatric CD appears to be increasing. In children the disease may cause growth problems in addition to typical CD symptoms like frequent diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and fatigue. The etiology of CD remains unclear, but it is thought to be caused by a combination of environmental factors and genetic predisposition. There is no known cure for CD. Treatment may include medication, nutrition supplements, surgery, or a combination of these options. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-) is an inflammatory protein that is part of the body's natural inflammatory and immune response, but when produced in excess, plays a key role in the inflammatory responses of some autoimmune diseases. Increased levels of TNF- have been found in stool, urine, and mucosal biopsy specimens from patients with active CD. Targeted therapy against TNF- has become an important therapeutic option for patients with CD.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2013

URL for published report: The report may be purchased from: http://www.hayesinc.com/hayes/crd/?crd=16117

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: United States

Organisation Name: HAYES, Inc.

Contact Address: 157 S. Broad Street, Suite 200, Lansdale, PA 19446, USA. Tel: 215 855 0615; Fax: 215 855 5218

Contact Name: saleinfo@hayesinc.com

Contact Email: saleinfo@hayesinc.com

Copyright: 2013 Winifred S. Hayes, Inc