Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Over six million people worldwide suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease, so if you

put 1350 people in a room at random, chances are someone would have IBD. IBD has higher

concentrations in European and North American countries. You may wonder, what exactly is

Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS, which is characterized by stomachaches, diarrhea,

constipation, discomfort, and gas, affects a much greater portion of the population and is more familiar. IBS is similar to IBD because it shares some common symptoms and can affect life quality. IBD; however, is more severe. Unlike IBS, IBD is an inflammatory disease associated with non-gut symptoms. It can be life threatening, and there is an associated risk for surgery. There are two types of IBD: Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

Crohn’s Disease is characterized by inflammation of the digestive tract. This could mean

inflammation along anything from the mouth to the anus, and the inflammation could affect any layer, not just the surface. In Crohn’s Disease, the inflamed tissue is mixed in with healthy tissue. With Ulcerative Colitis, only the large intestine (colon) is inflamed. The inflammation associated with UC only affects the inner lining of the colon, but the inflammation is continuous, not mixed with healthy tissue. In rare cases of IBD, there are indications of both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, known as indeterminate colitis.

The symptoms and severity of IBD can vary from patient to patient. Some

symptoms that are common in IBD patients are stomach pain, fever, diarrhea or bloody stool, fatigue. IBD can be tricky to diagnose because of its rareness. Doctors may first suspect a virus or other gastrointestinal issue. To properly diagnose IBD, blood work and stool samples can test for inflammation, and MRI scans can give doctors an internal view. Colonoscopies, which allow the doctor to get an internal scope and tissue sample of the gastrointestinal tract, are often performed for the most accurate diagnosis.

There is no known cause of IBD. IBD can be genetic; researchers estimate between 5%

and 20% of people with IBD have a first-degree relative who also has IBD. Crohn's disease has a greater genetic association than ulcerative colitis. There is also no cure for IBD; however, there are ways to maintain it. Patients with IBD always have it; however, they experience remission, which means there is no active inflammation, and flare-ups when there is active inflammation. During remission, IBD patients can usually live fairly normal lives. To maintain remission, patients take medication, follow extreme dietary guidelines, or a combination of both.

There is a large variety of medications available to IBD patients, and many patients go

through multiple medicines. To recover from active inflammation, steroids may be prescribed. Immunosuppressant medicines are often used to maintain remission. IBD is an autoimmune disease, which means the immune system attacks itself, so immunosuppressant medications help prevent its attack on itself. Once immunosuppressant medications are no longer effective in an IBD patient, doctors may prescribe biological agents. Surgery can also treat IBD, and it is sometimes necessary to remove damaged tissues. Approximately 20% of patients with ulcerative colitis and 80% of Crohn's disease patients will require surgery.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease is chronic; patients will have to deal with it for their whole

lives. Flare-ups are dangerous and severe, and the medicines to avoid flare-ups often have their own side effects such as a weakened immune system. Currently, there is research being

conducted to find new treatments and learn more about the disease. Many studies have led to breakthrough findings, and in the medical community, there is hope that one day a cure will be discovered.

Works Cited

“Homepage | Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.” Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation,

www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org. Accessed 2 Apr. 2022.

“CDC -What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)? - Inflammatory Bowel Disease - Division

of Population Health.” Inflammatory Bowel Disease, www.cdc.gov/ibd/what-is-IBD.htm.

Accessed 6 Apr. 2022.

“What Is IBD? - Inflammatory Bowel Disease - The Mount Sinai Hospital.” Mount Sinai Health

System, www.mountsinai.org/locations/ibd-center/what-is-ibd. Accessed 6 Apr. 2022.