Rising incidence of IBD cases across the globe is a cause for concern, say experts

Subject: Science and tech

Sec: Health

Context:

The global increase in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) cases is raising concerns among healthcare professionals.

Details:

IBD, which includes Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease, involves inflammation and differs from the non-inflammatory Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Diagnosing IBD is complex due to its symptoms’ similarity to other conditions.
Both Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease are immune-mediated, involving a dysregulated immune response influenced by genetic markers, environmental factors, and gut bacteria.
Current trends show a rising prevalence of IBD in regions like North America and Western Europe, with predictions that the prevalence in America will increase from 0.5% to 0.6%.

Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease:

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which abnormal reactions of the immune system cause inflammation and ulcers on the inner lining of your large intestine.
Crohn’s disease is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that causes inflammation in one’s digestive tract. It can affect any part of one’s digestive tract, which runs from mouth to anus. But it usually affects the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine.

Early onset:

There is a rising trend in early onset cases of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) among those under 18, particularly noticeable in India.
The challenge of diagnosing Crohn’s disease in India is due to its similarity in presentation to intestinal tuberculosis, which is common in the region.
Lifestyle changes, including a Westernized diet high in fats and sugars, along with processed and packaged foods, have exacerbated the incidence of IBD by damaging the gut epithelium and promoting inflammation.
The incidence of IBD in India has nearly doubled from 1990 to 2019, with an accompanying rise in the death rate.
A specific study in Tamil Nadu revealed a higher prevalence of Crohn’s Disease compared to Ulcerative Colitis, with 50% of IBD cases being Crohn’s Disease and 40% Ulcerative Colitis. Emphasis was placed on the importance of early diagnosis for more effective treatment.

Diagnosis of IBD:

Challenges include- the lack of a single diagnostic test and the necessity to differentiate these from other mimicking diseases and infections.
Diagnosis typically involves a combination of physical exams, laboratory tests, and endoscopy.
Treatment for IBD includes- faecal microbiota transplantation, biological therapies that use monoclonal antibodies, targeting specific inflammatory pathways, thereby reducing the need for hospitalizations and surgeries and the development of orally administered small molecules.
The high cost of diagnosis is a challenge.
Environmental factors such as smoking, antibiotics and highly processed foods can exacerbate inflammation.
Recommendations include adhering to a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet, which avoids highly processed foods.

Source: TH