1. Agree completely
2. Agree with minor reservations
3. Agree with major reservations
4. Reject with reservations
5. Reject completely

Statement Rationale and Definition

The early use of combined immunosuppression with infliximab (IFX) and azathioprine (AZA) in newly diagnosed patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) has led to disease response and remission rates considerably higher than in patients receiving conventional treatment with corticosteroids.¹ The positive impact of shorter disease duration was reported at the level of mucosal healing in post hoc analyses of the EXTend the Safety and Efficacy of Adalimumab through ENDoscopic Healing (EXTEND) trial.² Patients with deep remission, defined as the absence of mucosal ulcers and CD Activity Index (CDAI) scores <150, had fewer hospitalizations and improved work productivity.² These observations created interest in the concept of early intervention in CD, similar to the new strategies that have recently been adopted for the management of rheumatoid arthritis,^3,4 in which better disease control was associated with earlier initiation of biological treatment.^3,4