Volume 18, Issue 1

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are unconventional T lymphocytes that play a critical role in mucosal immunity. Although iNKT cells sense the microbiota of IBD patients, promoting pro-inflammatory responses, their rapid responsiveness to the intestinal microenvironment can be harnessed to promote immunoregulatory rather than pro-inflammatory responses. OCELOT’s central hypothesis is that iNKT cells are the primary immune cells that sense microbiota-derived metabolic signals promoting the resolution of inflammation. In particular, OCELOT argues that microbiota-derived lactate can tightl

There is strong interest in investigating combination therapies for active Crohn’s Disease (CD) to improve response to biologics and to mitigate secondary loss of response, without increasing the risk of drug-associated side effects. Exclusive enteral nutrition is an established treatment for active CD, but tolerance is poor. In partial enteral nutrition (PEN) only part of the habitual diet is replaced by the proprietary formula, allowing patients to eat some normal food. PEN at high volume (>50% energy requirements) can prolong remission compared to unrestricted diet. Therefore, the aim of...

Sexual dysfunction (SD) rates are higher in the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patient population compared with the general population. Overall among IBD patients, low sexual desire and greater difficulty in achieving orgasms are the most frequently reported sexual problems. In addition, women report worse body image and lower sexual desire. Being diagnosed with major depression, undergoing surgery or suffering IBD symptoms are the usual triggers. Despite the importance of sexual well-being, there is a lack of research focusing on sexual desire in IBD patients. This study aims to assess...

Designing, organising and performing clinical trials in IBD is a challenge. Drug development trials often follow the well-known pathways, with established endpoints and a more or less standardised study design. Things become more complicated when the clinical researcher departs from these trusted routes. In this context, ClinCom (the Clinical Research Committee of ECCO) organised two courses during the last ECCO Congress in Copenhagen.

A total of 74 epidemiological abstracts and 18 digital oral presentations were presented at ECCO'23 in Copenhagen. Five abstracts of particular interest are discussed below. A novel population-based UK study by Cooney and colleagues (OP 28) examined the association of IBD and various mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety and self-harm in children and adolescents. A large primary care database was used to identify cases. Each case was propensity matched with four controls. Relative risk of all outcomes up to 10 years in the IBD cohort versus controls was estimated using ...

Finally, after a hiatus of two years owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 10th ECCO Ultrasound Workshop – Advanced in collaboration with ESGAR & IBUS took place physically at ECCO’23 in Copenhagen. The workshop proved a big success, bringing together 125 colleagues from 33 countries. As in pre-COVID times, it sold out quickly. Christian Maaser, from Germany, and Clas-Göran Af Björkesten, from Finland, opened the workshop by describing the latest innovations in the use of intestinal ultrasound (IUS) in Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, respectively. Bram Verstockt, from Belgium, re