Influence of previous corticosteroid treatment on the efficacy and safety of infliximab therapy in Crohn disease

To determine the effect of prior corticosteroid treatment on the results of infliximab (IFX) therapy in patients with Crohn disease (CD). Patients with CD treated with at least 3 IFX infusions between March 2009 and April 2017 were divided into steroid group (n = 43) and nonsteroid group (n = 22) and analyzed retrospectively. The cumulative probabilities of clinical remission and response to IFX at weeks 14, 30, 54, and 78 were higher in the steroid group, though this difference was not statistical significant. At the mean interval of 11.7 months following the initiation of IFX treatment, the mucosal healing rate was significantly higher in the steroid group (71.0% vs 22.2%, P < .01). There was no statistical difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the 2 groups. In CD, patients with prior corticosteroid treatment may increase the response rate to IFX therapy.