About this Research Topic
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), comprising ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), are chronic, progressive immune mediated diseases, with a clinical course characterized by remission and relapse. IBDs affect an estimated 1.5 million Americans, 2.2 million people in Europe, and more than several hundred thousand worldwide. The chronic nature of these diseases exerts a major toll on patients in terms of burden of therapy, hospitalizations, surgery, health-related quality of life, economic productivity and social functioning.
Against the high and increasing rate of IBD occurrence, a large body of evidence highlights the scarce efficacy of traditional drugs (including corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and salycilates): from 40% to 60% of IBD patients does not benefit of the available traditional therapeutical options, which are characterized also by severe adverse effects. In addition, the novel therapeutic options, based on treatments with biotechnological drugs, are characterized by a very poor profile of tolerability. Overall, the pharmacological therapies available for treatment of IBDs are far from being satisfactory, and intensive efforts are currently in progress to search for new drugs endowed with favourable benefit/risk profiles.
This Research Topic will highlight the most recent advances, obtained either in preclinical and clinical settings, in terms of novel molecular targets and/or innovative strategies (comprising new pharmacological tools, prebiotic and /or probiotic treatments, dietary supplements) useful for the management of several pathological aspects affecting IBD patients, such as intestinal inflammation, neuromuscular and secretive/absorptive intestinal disorders, and visceral pain. Particular attention will be dedicated also to the available evidence regarding the safety of drugs currently employed for IBD treatment. To pursue these goals, the present Research Topic will include both full length and short research communications, as well as opinion and review articles.
Against the high and increasing rate of IBD occurrence, a large body of evidence highlights the scarce efficacy of traditional drugs (including corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and salycilates): from 40% to 60% of IBD patients does not benefit of the available traditional therapeutical options, which are characterized also by severe adverse effects. In addition, the novel therapeutic options, based on treatments with biotechnological drugs, are characterized by a very poor profile of tolerability. Overall, the pharmacological therapies available for treatment of IBDs are far from being satisfactory, and intensive efforts are currently in progress to search for new drugs endowed with favourable benefit/risk profiles.
This Research Topic will highlight the most recent advances, obtained either in preclinical and clinical settings, in terms of novel molecular targets and/or innovative strategies (comprising new pharmacological tools, prebiotic and /or probiotic treatments, dietary supplements) useful for the management of several pathological aspects affecting IBD patients, such as intestinal inflammation, neuromuscular and secretive/absorptive intestinal disorders, and visceral pain. Particular attention will be dedicated also to the available evidence regarding the safety of drugs currently employed for IBD treatment. To pursue these goals, the present Research Topic will include both full length and short research communications, as well as opinion and review articles.
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