Up to one-third of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have persistent bowel symptoms despite apparent control of intestinal inflammation [1]. These symptoms fit with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a type of disorder of gut–brain interactions (DGBI). DGBI respond poorly to the pharmacological agents that are typically used to target inflammation in IBD. Thus, as clinicians, our challenges are to identify IBS-like symptoms, which is more easily achieved in those with quiescent disease, and to find suitable treatments for control of non-inflammatory symptoms.

Wladzia Czuber-Dochan  © ECCO

Marie Andersson © ECCO

It is that time of year when we write to tell you, with great pleasure, about the N-ECCO Activities scheduled for the 19^th Congress of ECCO, to be held on February 21–24, 2024, in Stockholm, Sweden. As in previous years, the N-ECCO Committee has worked hard to put together a broad programme covering clinical, educational and research topics.

Hannah Gordon © ECCO

The second ECCO Guideline on Malignancy in IBD was published in JCC late last year, supported by working group leads Livia Biancone, Gionata Fiorino, Kostas Katsanos and Uri Kopylov. The ethos of this guideline was to couple evidence-based medicine with provision of practical advice, with a view to enhancing patient care worldwide. We worked alongside the ECCO Guidelines Team to undertake systematic reviews for each statement, selecting topics that are frequently relevant to patients with IBD as well as those which generate debate in the MDT.

Hannah Gordon © ECCO

The second ECCO Guideline on Malignancy in IBD was published in JCC late last year, supported by working group leads Livia Biancone, Gionata Fiorino, Kostas Katsanos and Uri Kopylov. The ethos of this guideline was to couple evidence-based medicine with provision of practical advice, with a view to enhancing patient care worldwide. We worked alongside the ECCO Guidelines Team to undertake systematic reviews for each statement, selecting topics that are frequently relevant to patients with IBD as well as those which generate debate in the MDT.

Firas Rinawi © Firas Rinawi

The 71^st ECCO Educational Workshop took place at The Westin Zagreb, Croatia, on June 16, 2023. This event brought together participants from Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Italy. The workshop focused on the field of paediatric IBD and featured interactive discussions on various clinical scenarios and hot topics in paediatric IBD.

Mariangela Allocca © ECCO

Uri Kopylov © ECCO

The Educational Programme at the ECCO Congress in 2024 will once again feature two workshops focused on imaging Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). These workshops, held in collaboration with the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR) and the International Bowel Ultrasound (IBUS) group, aim to educate medical professionals about the latest imaging technologies and their application in precise diagnosis and therapeutic management of IBD patients.

The first workshop will cover basic endoscopy, ultrasound and MRI, while the second will delve into advancements in intestinal ultrasound. These workshops are made possible through extensive cooperation between ECCO and experienced gastroenterologists and radiologists in intestinal imaging.

Natalia Queiroz © ECCO

The 22nd ECCO IBD Intensive Course for Trainees, Stockholm 2024

The IBD Intensive Course for Trainees will take place over one day on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, prior to the official start of the ECCO Congress. This ECCO Educational Initiative has a rich history, dating back to its conception in 2003, even before the launch of the ECCO Congress.

The fundamentals of IBD education begin during gastroenterology fellowship training. However, IBD medical education is often fragmented. The IBD Intensive Course for Trainees aims to provide advanced fellows in gastroenterology with a comprehensive understanding of IBD from a multidisciplinary perspective. In addition, the course presents a valuable opportunity for young clinicians to connect with colleagues from various countries around the globe, allowing them to explore different medical standards and establish a network for potential future collaborations. Participation in the programme is by invitation, with students nominated by ECCO National Representatives.

Introduction

The incidence and prevalence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are progressively increasing worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Despite increasing awareness of IBD and improvements in biomarkers and diagnostic techniques, a significant diagnostic delay is still frequently observed. This is highly relevant as diagnostic delay prevents application of medical treatment during very early disease stages and the implementation of certain disease intervention strategies. Diagnostic delay is consequently still limiting our potential to alter the natural history of the disease, as has recently been shown by UK colleagues. In a systematic review and meta-analysis, it was demonstrated that individuals with Crohn’s Disease (CD) in the higher quartiles of diagnostic delay (median 24 months) were more likely to have stricturing or penetrating disease and were also more likely to undergo intestinal surgery, while in patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) such a delay was associated with increased probability of colectomy [1]. Hence, reducing diagnostic delay should be a priority if we are aiming to apply effective disease intervention strategies.

Tanja Kuehbacher © ECCO

In the fast-paced world of medical research and drug development, efficient data management and transparent communication are critical factors for success. To address these challenges, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has launched a new Clinical Trials Information System (CTIS) that went live on January 31, 2022 [1, 2]. The CTIS is the backbone of the Clinical Trials Regulation, which will harmonise the assessment and supervision of clinical trials in the European Union. There is a transition period until January 31, 2025. Any ongoing trial that has been approved under the Clinical Trial Directive will then fall under the Clinical Trials Regulation [1–3].

Gabriele Dragoni © ECCO

After repeated postponements due to travel restrictions to Japan, I was able to carry out enteroscopy training at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) Hospital between September and October 2022.