Steroid-Dependent Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can be anywhere in your gastrointestinal tract. One of the treatments for moderate to severe Crohn's disease includes steroids. In some cases, patients are dependent on steroids to manage their condition.

Medications

• Prednisone and entocort are the two most commonly prescribed steroid medications. These drugs reduce inflammation, which relieves abdominal cramping, and suppress the immune system, according to the American Academic of Family Physicians (AAFP).

Dependency

• AAFP indicates that patients who respond well to steroids commonly have a difficult time tapering off of the treatment without symptoms returning. It is noted that some factors contribute to this dependency, such as use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, concurrent irritable bowel syndrome and cigarette smoking.

Surgery

• In some cases surgery can help to eliminate the need for steroids, particularly if there is a short area of bowel that is affected.

Immunomodulator Therapy

• According to AAFP, immunomodulator therapy includes drugs such infliximab (Remicade) and methotrexate. These treatments are helpful in successful weaning patients from steroids.

Significance

• Due to side effects of steroids, such as mood swings, increased blood pressure, weight gain and fluid retention, it is important to eliminate steroid dependency. In addition, suppression of the immune system increases the risk of infections.