BACKGROUND: Infliximab is an effective therapy in adult @entity1 with refractory and fistulizing @entity30 . Experience in @entity1 is still limited. AIM: : To evaluate the experience in 22 @entity1 and adolescents treated with infliximab with refractory and/or fistulizing @entity30 , and to compare duration of response in @entity1 between early @entity30 and late @entity30 . METHODS: The experience in 22 @entity1 and adolescents treated with a total of 73 infusions was evaluated retrospectively. Treatment indication was refractory @entity30 in 9/22 @entity1 , fistulizing @entity30 in 7/22 @entity1 and both these conditions in 6/22. All @entity1 with refractory @entity30 had late @entity30 (> 1 year), whereas 6/13 @entity1 with @entity292 had @entity66 (< 1 year). RESULTS: Mean Paediatric @entity30 Activity Index (PCDAI) decreased from 41.2 to 16.2 at 4 weeks (P < 0.01), and to 15.4 at 18 weeks (P < 0.01). Mean PCDAI at 18 weeks in @entity1 with early @entity30 and late @entity30 was 5.5 and 18.1, respectively (P < 0.05). Complete closure of @entity292 was obtained in 5/6 @entity1 with early @entity30 and in 2/7 @entity1 with late @entity30 . Immediate adverse reactions were observed in two @entity1 . CONCLUSIONS: Infliximab is a highly effective treatment in @entity1 and adolescents with both severe refractory or fistulizing @entity30 . @entity1 with early @entity30 have a higher chance of prolonged response to infliximab than @entity1 with late @entity30 .

Response to infliximab is related to disease duration in paediatric XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['children', 'patients', 'Children'] @entity292 :: ('MESH:D005402', 'Disease') :: ['fistulas'] @entity30 :: ('MESH:D003424', 'Disease') :: ["Crohn's Disease", "Crohn's disease"] @entity66 :: ('MESH:D004194', 'Disease') :: ['early disease']
@entity30 :: (MESH:D003424,Disease) :: ['Crohn's disease']
