Crohn’s Disease Research – Most Important |
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As with all diseases, research is the key to finding effective treatments and, of course, a cure. Crohn’s has been in the scientific eye for over 70 years, but it’s only been in the past 25 that significant changes have taken place in its treatment.
Important Research
Some of the research involved in making that happen is listed below:
- Possible causes of IBD, including the following theories:
- Unidentified environmental agents cause an atypical response in the immune system of those who carry a Crohn’s-susceptible gene.
- The combination of various factors, such as genetics, environment, and the immune system, and how they work together may trigger Crohn’s disease.
- The discovery of NOD2, the first gene associated with Crohn’s disease.
- Understanding the cause of and need for inflammation, and various ways to prohibit it from occurring.
- Recognition of microbial antigens and bacteria that are normally found in the intestines and have a direct effect on the body’s immune system.
- The function of epithelial barrier cells in preventing inflammation and ulcers in the bowels.
- The importance of TNF-alpha, which resulted in the development of biologic therapy.
Each of these research projects have played an important part in treating Crohn’s patients, and finding a way to defeat the disease once and for all.
Surgical Treatments
Understanding and treating the symptoms of the disease are only two aspects of the research that has taken place. Since roughly two-thirds of all patients will undergo surgery at some point in their lives, it’s been an important part of treating Crohn’s. The research developed over the past few decades have improved the quality of life of those who are forced into this form of treatment.
Such improvements include:
- The use of a temporary ostomy in order to allow the intestines to heal after surgery before performing an anastamose.
- Relieving strictures through the use of cross-sectioning them rather than a full bi-section.
- Improving the ileoanal pouch surgery, resulting in colectomy patients to no longer needing to wear an external pouch to eliminate waste.
- Recognizing the psychological impact of ostomy surgery and treating the resultant depression as part of the entire process.
New techniques are being learned every day, and there’s hope that soon, surgery will no longer be necessary to treat Crohn’s. Until then, however, these methods continue to make life a little easier for Crohn’s patients.
Pediatric Care
Recently, patients as young as seven or eight have been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, and because of their youth, treatments have to be adjusted. What works for adults may not be beneficial for children, and could even be dangerous for them. Because the disease was only known to affect those in their late teens and early 20s, new treatments needed to be found for the newer, younger Crohn’s sufferers.
The following research has been a huge boon in creating a better quality of life for children with Crohn’s:
- Corticosteroid absorption in children with inflammatory bowel diseases.
- Alternating days when dosing prednisone for children.
- The benefit of 6-MP and corticosteroids in newly diagnosed children.
- Defining the value of serological markers in pediatric IBD.
- Correcting bone mineral deficits in children before damage is done.
As diagnosing tools become more acute, the disease is likely to be found sooner rather than later. This means that there is a chance to head off the nutritional deficiencies in children, as well as the side effects of slow growth-rate, late development, and mal-nourishment.
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