Biologics in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

SERIES OVERVIEW:
The Oxford American Pocket Notes are a series of ultra-concise, small-format books for healthcare professionals on topics related to the diagnosis, treatment and management of various medical conditions. Each title typically features an outline of key points, guidelines and tools such as patient assessments and treatment algorithms, for a specific area of medical diagnosis and/or management. Highly practical in format, content and style, the Pocket Notes serve as a quick, easily accessible point-of-care reference for busy practitioners. In effect, they are miniature versions of the Oxford American Medical Library and Oxford American Handbooks in Medicine, capturing the key essentials needed for appropriate assessment and treatment.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a gastrointestinal condition which causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract. This disease affects an estimated one million Americans, usually in the forms of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). These two diseases have similar symptoms and are often confused for one another. Crohn's disease can occur anywhere in the digestive tract, often spreading deep into the layers of affected tissues, but ulcerative colitis usually affects only the innermost lining (mucosa) of the large intestine and rectum. IBD patients suffer from severe diarrhea and abdominal pain, and may experience other complications, such as arthritis and kidney stones, that affect the body beyond the intestinal tract.

The Oxford American Pocket Notes: Biologics in Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a practical guide to the safe administration of biological agents to treat inflammatory gastrointestinal illnesses. This ultra-concise and practical volume focuses on tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocking therapy (TNF blocker), an important new class of biologic therapy indicated for the treatment of several rheumatic and other auto-immune disorders, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. This uniquely compact and affordable book features evidence-based discussion and guidelines on the mechanism of action, dosing, administration and safety considerations for the biologic agents approved to treat CD and UC, thus providing practicing physicians with easily accessible tools and insights on the use of these drugs in a daily practice setting. Culled from the pages of Handbook of Biological Therapy, this portable guide is a valuable resource for gastroenterologists, primary care physicians and other healthcare providers involved in the management of these chronic but treatable diseases.

Scott Plevy, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He is the Director of the University of North Carolina FOCIS Center of Excellence.