Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the bowel characterized by alternating periods of remission and relapse. Although CD can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, small bowel involvement is particularly common and generally considered a more challenging subtype than isolated colonic disease. Moreover, small bowel CD is frequently associated with complications such as strictures and fistulas, which may require invasive treatments including endoscopic or surgical intervention. The management of small bowel CD necessitates a nuanced approach that combines advanced diagnostic modalities with individualized medical and procedural strategies. Future research should prioritize the identification of predictive biomarkers, the development of precision therapeutics, and the improvement of long-term outcomes in this distinct disease phenotype.
Nam et al. (Wed,) studied this question.