Title : Efficacy and safety of biologic therapies for inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review from a nursing perspective
Abstract:
Background: Inflammatory Bowel Disease, comprising Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, presents as a chronic, relapsing-remitting inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach to optimize patient outcomes (Schiavoni et al., 2025). The evolving landscape of therapeutic goals in IBD, now emphasizing endoscopic remission and mucosal healing, underscores the critical need for early and effective disease-modifying agents (Soki?-Milutinovi? & Milosavljevi?, 2023). Biologic therapies have emerged as a cornerstone in managing moderate-to-severe IBD, offering targeted immunosuppression that often surpasses the efficacy of conventional treatments (Avedillo-Salas et al., 2023).
Aim: This systematic review aims to evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Biologic Therapies for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Method: The electronic databases Pubmed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Ovid-Medline, and Scopus were searched using MeSH terms and combinations of “clinical trials”, “Biologic Therapies”, and “Inflammatory Bowel Disease”. The Cochrane guidelines and the PRISMA checklist were used to prepare and report this systematic review.This rigorous methodological approach ensured a comprehensive identification of relevant studies, enabling a thorough synthesis of evidence regarding the efficacy and safety profiles of various biologic agents in IBD management.
Results: The review found that biologic drugs are effective and safe for treating moderate-to-severe Crohn’s disease in adult patients who have not responded adequately to conventional therapies (Avedillo-Salas et al., 2023). The findings highlight the significant role of biologics such as infliximab and adalimumab in inducing and maintaining remission, thereby improving the quality of life for patients with refractory IBD (Kamal et al., 2024). However, the intricate mechanisms underlying primary non-response and loss of response to these biologics, alongside their pharmacokinetic complexities, remain critical considerations in optimizing long-term therapeutic strategies (Liefferinckx et al., 2020). Furthermore, the potential for serious infections and malignancies associated with biologic and immunosuppressive therapies necessitates careful patient monitoring and risk stratification (Holmer & Singh, 2019).
Conclusion: This systematic review confirms the transformative impact of biologic therapies in IBD management, yet it also underscores the imperative for continuous research into personalized treatment algorithms. Future investigations should prioritize identifying predictive biomarkers for treatment response and developing novel therapeutic targets to overcome existing limitations in IBD pharmacotherapy.
Key Words: Biologic Therapies, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Efficacy, Safety, Systematic Review.
