Early Initiation of Tumor Necrosis Factor Antagonist-based Therapy for Patients with Crohn’s Disease Reduces Costs Compared With Late Initiation

Antagonists of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) are effective for induction and maintenance of remission of Crohn's disease (CD) and are generally prescribed when patients do not respond to conventional, less costly medical therapies. Early initiation of anti-TNF therapy reduced rates of surgery and dose escalation due to loss of response. However, these drugs are expensive, so studies are needed on the cost effectiveness of early initiation. We aimed to determine the cost effectiveness of initiating treatment early in the disease course (within 2 years of CD diagnosis) vs later in the disease course (more than 2 years after diagnosis).

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