Discontinuation of therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: Current views

Core Tip

Core Tip: Tailoring treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) hinges on timely drug initiation aligned with treatment objectives. While therapy approaches evolve, achieving and sustaining remission prompts discussions on de-escalating or halting treatment, weighed against long-term therapy risks. With each IBD drug category, relapse risks persist post-discontinuation, impacting over 50% of patients. Withdrawal following combination therapies shows prolonged relapse-free periods, yet randomized trials on medication cessation are limited. Identifying relapse predictors and suitable candidates is pivotal. Re-treatment success underpins therapy withdrawal decisions. Individualized assessments, considering disease severity, duration, side effects, relapse risk, and patient preferences all guide prudent discontinuation choices.