What should the nurse monitor to assess the effectiveness of infliximab treatment in a client with Crohn's disease?

Monitoring the frequency and consistency of bowel movements is crucial in assessing the effectiveness of infliximab treatment for a client with Crohn's disease. Infliximab is an immunosuppressive medication used to reduce inflammation and manage symptoms in inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's. One of the primary goals of this treatment is to reduce gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and abdominal pain, which are commonly experienced by patients with Crohn's disease.

Improvement in the frequency and consistency of bowel movements indicates that the treatment is effectively controlling inflammation and helping to heal the intestinal lining. A decrease in diarrhea and a return to more normal bowel habits can indicate that the medication is having its intended therapeutic effect.

While other options, such as monitoring leukocyte counts, liver enzyme levels, or conducting Hematest on gastric fluids, may be relevant in other clinical contexts, they are not the most direct indicators of the treatment’s effectiveness for Crohn's disease. Therefore, assessing bowel movements provides immediate and relevant feedback on how well the patient is responding to infliximab therapy.