IBD care developments of 2023 (so far): Promising techniques to enhance patient quality of life 2023

Improved quality of life and remission are the main aims of inflammatory bowel disease therapy.

IBD patients wish to travel freely, forecast flares without intrusive testing, and manage symptoms without immune-suppressing drugs. IBD Passport, a website for travelers with IBD, wearable technologies to monitor symptoms, and a greater focus on dietitians’ role in multidisciplinary treatment are helping patients achieve their goals.

Improved quality of life and remission are the main aims of inflammatory bowel disease therapy

In early 2023, Healio has been tracking IBD care advances. We’ve gathered the most promising advances in IBD treatment in case you missed any.

Curcumin-QingDai remits active UC and “paves the way” for care integration.

At the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress, curcumin and QingDai promoted clinical response and remission in active ulcerative colitis patients.

“Even our most modern biologics and small molecules drugs are still unable to bring all our patients to complete remission, and prolonged preauthorization and costs sometimes limit patients’ access to needed medications,” Nir Salomon, CHb, founder and director of the Integrative Medicine Clinic at the gastroenterology department of Sheba Medical Center in Israel, told Healio. “It is also clear that many [inflammatory bowel disease] patients with active disease are seeking alternative, nonimmune-suppressing solutions, whether dietary or other.” Read on.

Q&A: IBD Passport addresses Crohn’s, UC travelers’ “unique barriers”

A “one-stop travel advice” website provides resources, assistance, and access to a global network of IBD professionals, making travel easier for IBD patients.

IBD Passport, a nonprofit website developed by London IBD nurse expert Kay Greveson, is led by Shomron Ben-Horin, MD, professor and chief of gastroenterology at Tel-Aviv University’s Sackler School of Medicine and director of Sheba Medical Center’s IBD service. They created the multilayer platform to enable Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis sufferers travel. The site offers advise on immunizations, drugs, food, and travel-related disease. Read on.

Updated AGA recommendations recommend biomarkers for UC management.

AGA clinical practice guidelines recommend noninvasive biomarkers such fecal calprotectin, lactoferrin, and C-reactive protein for ulcerative colitis therapy.

Siddharth Singh, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues wrote in Gastroenterology that early proactive assessment of bowel inflammation is associated with superior long-term outcomes, but there is significant variability in utilization. “Repeated endoscopic assessment is invasive, expensive, and may be impractical in routine clinical practice.”

Antibiotics increase IBD risk, especially in older persons.

A Danish research published in Gut found that antibiotic use raised the risk of inflammatory bowel disease, especially in people over 40.

According to previous research, the environment may have a greater influence in IBD pathogenesis as we age. Adam S. Faye, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine and community health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told Healio that older persons with new-onset IBD are less likely to have a good family history. Additionally, antibiotic usage has been linked to IBD in younger individuals, but there is limited research on older persons. Read on.

‘Why not mix them?’: Early dual biologic treatment may overcome severe IBD restrictions.

A Crohn’s and Colitis Congress presentation said early data suggests combination therapy with biologics or advanced small molecules may be safe and beneficial for inflammatory bowel disease.

Edward V. Loftus Jr., MD, the Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Professor of Gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told guests, “We have all these different mechanisms of action right now—in newer development are some of the oral and p-19 [inhibitors]. “Why not combine all these targets?” Read on.

IBD, non-STEMI patients have double the mortality of IBD alone.

A Crohn’s and Colitis Congress presentation stated that IBD patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction had greater mortality, hospital stays, and hospital expenses than IBD patients alone.

Neethi R. Dasu, DO, from Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, told Healio that IBD patients with non-STEMI need closer monitoring, improved therapy, and prevention of consequences. Our findings showed that IBD patients are at higher risk for cardiovascular events. Read on.

Dietitians “valuable” in IBD multidisciplinary team

A Crohn’s and Colitis Congress presentation said a healthy diet has “a significant role” in managing inflammatory bowel disease and may be advised by a dietician.

“IBD has long been thought to arise from inappropriate and maladaptive stimulation of the immune system, although emerging data has actually shown that diet plays an important role in the pathogenesis and inflammation,” said University of Utah College of Nursing associate professor Keisa M. Lynch, DNPAPRN, FNP. “This shows the great need for guidance. The International Organization for Inflammatory Bowel Disease organized a working committee to make future recommendations and advice. Read on.

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment may fistulize Crohn’s disease.

According to a comprehensive evaluation presented at the Crohn’s and Colitis Congress, hyperbaric oxygen therapy for fistulizing Crohn’s disease had an 87% clinical response rate with few side effects.

Amr Dokmak, MD, a hospitalist at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, told Healio that up to 50% of Crohn’s patients develop fistulas. Despite the proliferation of IBD medications, notably biologics, and treatment plan advancements, long-term fistula repair remains a challenge. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is being considered for refractory IBD. Read on.

Smartwatches and wearable technologies may anticipate and diagnose IBD flares.

According to Crohn’s and Colitis Congress data, wearables that measure heart rate variability may assist identify and forecast inflammatory bowel disease flares.

“It is difficult to identify and predict IBD flares, and we lack easy and convenient means to monitor patients,” Robert P. Hirten, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Healio. “We use blood or stool tests, imaging tests like CT scans or MRIs, colonoscopies, and patient reporting. We intend to employ wearable gadgets, which are popular, convenient, and passive, to monitor bodily changes that might indicate a disease flare. Read on.

Crohn’s remission rates drop and infection risk rises with longer adalimumab dosing intervals.

According to The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, increasing adalimumab dosage intervals lowered infection-related side events and expenses in Crohn’s disease patients but decreased remission rates.

“Patients living with Crohn’s disease often need lifelong medication,” said Erasmus Medical Center gastroenterologist Reinier C.A. van Linschoten, MD. Adalimumab induces and maintains remission. Adalimumab is pricey and might cause injection site reactions and infections. Read on.