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Guidelines for Utilizing Biomarkers in Crohn's Disease Monitoring

by Colleen Fleiss on November 20, 2023 at 11:53 PM
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The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) issued a fresh evidence-based guideline advocating for the utilization of blood and stool-based biomarkers in the management of Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) ().


IBD is estimated to affect 2.74 million people in the U.S. The guideline was published in Gastroenterology.

Understanding Biomarkers: Evaluating Inflammation in IBD

Biomarkers are blood or stool tests that can give more information on an underlying disease process. In the context of IBD, biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) in blood and fecal calprotectin (FCP) in stool, can measure levels of inflammation. These levels can help doctors assess whether a patient's Crohn's disease is active or in remission.

‘The AGA suggests incorporating biomarkers alongside colonoscopy and imaging studies for managing Crohn's disease. #ibd #crohndisease #digestivehealth #endoscopy’

"Patients' symptoms do not always match endoscopic findings, so biomarkers are a useful tool to understand and monitor the status of inflammation and guide decision making in patients with Crohn's disease," says guideline author Siddarth Singh, MD, MS, University of California, San Diego.

For patients in remission:

For patients experiencing active symptoms:

For patients after surgery:

"Based on this guideline, biomarkers are no longer considered experimental and should be an integral part of IBD care," says guideline author Ashwin Ananthakrishnan, MBBS, MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital.

This is a win for Crohn's disease patients. Biomarkers are usually easier to obtain, less invasive, more cost-effective than frequent colonoscopies and can be assessed more frequently for tighter disease control and better long-term outcomes in Crohn's disease.

Reference:

  1. AGA Clinical Practice Guideline on the Role of Biomarkers for the Management of Crohn's Disease - (https:www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(23)05064-3/fulltext)

Source: Eurekalert

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