The role of budesonide in the management of Crohn's disease

Inflammatory bowel disease encompasses two main conditions: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). These are chronic debilitating conditions, characterised by relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Approximately 620 000 people in the UK are affected by these conditions. The management of CD can be complex, which presents challenges to both patients and clinicians. Treatment of CD is evolving in tandem with an improved understanding of the disease. However, there is currently no cure for this disease. The mainstay of treatment is to induce and maintain clinical remission. Steroid therapies are used in the induction of remission. Current European Crohn's and colitis Organisation (ECCO) guidelines recommend the use of budesonide as the first-line treatment of mild to moderate ileo-caecal CD. This article provides an overview of CD and the current strategies used in its pharmacological management, placing specific focus on the role of budesonide in the treatment pathway.