LITERATURE UPDATE


Inflammatory bowel disease: a selection of current research interest


Advances in monitoring IBD treatment are discussed elsewhere in this issue. To complement the coverage, Pathology in Practice Science Editor Brian Nation selects a small sample of peer-reviewed research in this area of gastroenterology.


Omics and Multi-Omics in IBD: No Integration, No Breakthroughs Fiocchi C. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Oct 5; 24(19):14912. doi: 10.3390/ijms241914912.


The recent advent of sophisticated technologies like sequencing and mass spectroscopy platforms combined with artificial intelligence- powered analytic tools has initiated a new era of ‘big data’ research in various complex diseases of still-undetermined cause and mechanisms. The investigation of these diseases was, until recently, limited to traditional in vitro and in vivo biological experimentation, but a clear switch to in silico methodologies is now under way. This review tries to provide a


comprehensive assessment of state-of- the-art knowledge on omes, omics and multi-omics in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The notion and importance of omes, omics and multi- omics in both health and complex diseases like IBD is introduced, followed by a discussion of the various omics believed to be relevant to IBD pathogenesis, and how multi-omics ‘big data’ can generate new insights translatable into useful clinical tools in IBD such as biomarker identification, prediction of remission and relapse, response to therapy, and precision medicine.


The pitfalls and limitations of


current IBD multi-omics studies are critically analysed, revealing that, regardless of the types of omes being analysed, the majority of current reports are still based on simple associations of descriptive retrospective data from cross-sectional patient cohorts rather than more powerful longitudinally collected prospective datasets. Given this limitation, some suggestions are provided on how IBD multi-omics data may be optimised for greater clinical


and therapeutic benefit. The review concludes by forecasting the upcoming incorporation of multi-omics analyses in the routine management of IBD.


Managing IBD in the COVID-19 era Scalzo N, Ungaro RC. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2023 Jun 15; 16:17562848231176450. doi: 10.1177/17562848231176450.


Over the last two years the lives of millions have changed because of the emergence of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represent a sizable population with their own sets of challenges to providers in the wake of so much uncertainty. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers


immunocompromised individuals at higher risk of infection and complications from COVID-19. Early in the pandemic, the specific risks for IBD patients were unclear as guidance was based on expert opinion regarding the management of IBD during a COVID-19 era. Fortunately, after considerable work in the field, the overwhelming evidence suggests that IBD patients as a whole do not appear to be at increased risk for more severe disease from COVID-19.


Certain risk factors such as age,


steroids, comorbidities, combination immunomodulatory therapy, and IBD disease activity have been associated with worse outcomes. Most IBD medications are low risk, with the exception of immunomodulator monotherapy and combination therapy with thiopurine and anti-TNF. Vaccination remains safe and effective for all IBD patients, although additional booster doses may be necessary, particularly in patients taking anti-TNF agents.


Challenges in IBD Research 2024: Preclinical Human IBD Mechanisms


Ciorba MA, Konnikova L, Hirota SA et al. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2024 May 23; 30(Suppl 2):S5–S18. doi: 10.1093/ibd/izae081.


Microscopy appearance of Crohn’s disease showing a typical submucosal granuloma (haematoxylin and eosin [H&E] staining).


WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM MAY 2025


Preclinical human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mechanisms is one of five focus areas of the Challenges in IBD Research 2024 document, which also includes environmental triggers, novel technologies, precision medicine, and pragmatic clinical research. Herein, the authors provide a comprehensive overview of current gaps in inflammatory bowel diseases research that relate to preclinical research and deliver actionable approaches to address them with a focus on how these gaps can lead to advancements in IBD interception,


53


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56