Treatment
      · There is no cure for IBD, thus the focus is on controlling the inflammation.
      · Medication – inflammation is controlled through powerful drugs such as corticosteroids.
      · Surgery – to remove inflamed or damaged portions of the intestines
Nutrition Supplementation - The doctor may recommend nutritional supplements, especially for children
      · whose growth has been slowed. Special high-calorie liquid formulas are sometimes used for this purpose. A small number of patients may need periods of feeding by vein. This can help patients who need extra nutrition temporarily, those whose intestines need to rest, or those whose intestines cannot absorb enough nutrition from food.

Testing
Researchers continue to look for more effective treatments. Examples of investigational treatments include
      · Anti-TNF - Research has shown that cells affected by Crohn's disease contain a cytokine, a protein produced by the immune system, called Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF). TNF may be responsible for the inflammation of Crohn's disease. Anti-TNF is a substance that finds TNF in the bloodstream, binds to it, and removes it before it can reach the intestines and cause inflammation. In studies, anti-TNF seems particularly helpful in closing fistulas.
      ·  Interleukin 10 - Interleukin 10 (IL-10) is a cytokine that suppresses inflammation. Researchers are now studying the effectiveness of synthetic IL-10 in treating Crohn's disease.
      ·  Antibiotics - Antibiotics are now used to treat the bacterial infections that often accompany Crohn's disease, but some research suggests that they might also be useful as a primary treatment for active Crohn's disease.
      ·  Budesonide - Researchers recently identified a new corticosteroid called budesonide that appears to be as effective as other corticosteroids but causes fewer side effects.
      ·  Methotrexate and cyclosporine - These are immunosuppressive drugs that may be useful in treating Crohn's disease. One potential benefit of methotrexate and cyclosporine is that they appear to work faster than traditional immunosuppressive drugs.
      ·  Zinc - Free radicals--molecules produced during fat metabolism, stress, and infection, among other things--may contribute to inflammation in Crohn's disease. Free radicals sometimes cause cell damage when they interact with other molecules in the body. The mineral zinc removes free radicals from the bloodstream. Studies are under way to determine whether zinc supplementation might reduce inflammation.

Participation in Research
If you would like to participate in research done on families who suffer from Crohn’s Disease, please contact the groups listed below:

The University of Chicago
Drs. Judy Cho, Steven Hanauer & Barbara Kirschner
Chicago, Illinois
Telephone: 773-702-2282

Johns Hopkins University and Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland
Drs. Steven Brant & Theodore M. Bayless
Toll Free: 888-279-4194
In addition to multiple affected families, Dr. Brant (Johns Hopkins) is particularly interested in Jewish families and in Jewish patients whose parents both are willing to participate.

University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Dr. Richard Duerr
Toll Free: 800-457-2015

North Shore University Hospital, New York
Drs. Jack Silver & Seymour Katz
Manhasset, New York
Telephone: 516-562-1113

Cedar-Sinai Hospital
Drs. Yang & Jerome Rotter
Los Angeles, California
Telephone310-855-6453