A Guide Through the Tunnel: Updates in the Approach to Classification and Management of Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease.

Purpose Of Review: Perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (PFCD) is a severe and debilitating phenotype of Crohn's disease that presents significant clinical and therapeutic challenges. This review aims to outline a practical approach to classification and management, emphasizing the utility of the TOpClass system.

Recent Findings: The TOpClass classification incorporates clinical and anatomic characteristics to assess severity, treatment options, and patient-clinician goals.

Goblet Cell Loss Linked to NOD2 and Secondary Resection in Crohn's Disease is Induced by Dysbiosis and Epithelial MyD88.

Background & Aims: The role of goblet cells in small intestinal inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD) is unknown. Polymorphisms of NOD2 confer risk for CD and associate with small intestinal disease location. We previously showed in mice that Nod2 deficiency leads to overexpansion of Phocaeicola vulgatus in the gut and downstream goblet cell defects, which preceded small intestinal inflammation.

Delphi Panel for the Development of Diagnostic Criteria for Metastatic Cutaneous Crohn Disease: A Consensus Statement.

Importance: Metastatic cutaneous Crohn disease (MCD) is a rare condition for which there are currently no published diagnostic criteria. Formal MCD diagnostic criteria will expand clinical care and research by enabling future diagnostic code validation, crystallizing a more uniform disease entity for the purposes of translational research, and allowing the development of more formalized outcome measures aimed at treatment response.

Objective: To define a set of criteria for the diagnosis of MCD.

Disparities in Gender and Race Representation Among Authors of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Trials.

Background And Aims: Female physicians, particularly those from minority populations, are significantly underrepresented in research authorship in gastroenterology. This underrepresentation negatively impacts their career progression. This study analyses gender and race representation trends in published clinical trials in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and associated factors.

TOpClass Class 4 Perineal Crohn's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Perineal Wound Complication After Proctectomy in Crohn's Patients.

Background: Nonhealing perineal wounds have been reported to be common after proctectomy for Crohn's disease (CD). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of perineal wound healing after proctectomy for CD and assessed the risk factors for nonhealing.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases from 2010 to 2023, and articles reporting perineal wound healing rates after proctectomy for CD were included.

Ileoanal Pouch-Related Fistulas: A Narrative Review.

Ileoanal pouch-related fistula (IAPRF) is a possible complication after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis that significantly impacts pouch prognosis and the patient's quality of life. This study aimed to perform a comprehensive narrative review to better classify the epidemiology, risk factors, etiology, management, and outcomes of IAPRF, and to propose an algorithm for its systematic classification. Ten studies comprising 664 patients with IAPRF were identified, with a prevalence ranging from 4% to 45%.

Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease: Utilizing the TOpClass Classification in Clinical Practice to Provide Targeted Individualized Care.

Background & Aims: Perianal fistulation is a challenging phenotype of Crohn's disease, with significant impact on quality of life. Historically, fistulae have been classified anatomically in relation to the sphincter complex, and management guidelines have been generalized, with lack of attention to the clinical heterogenicity seen. The recent 'TOpClass classification system' for perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (PFCD) addresses this issue, and classifies patients into defined groups, which provide a focus for fistula management that aligns with disease characteristics and patient goals.

Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease-Associated Anorectal and Fistula Cancers: Systematic Review and Expert Consensus.

Background & Aims: Perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease (PFCD)-associated anorectal and fistula cancers are rare but often devastating diagnoses. However, given the low incidence and consequent lack of data and clinical trials in the field, there is little to no guidance on screening and management of these cancers. To inform clinical practice, we developed consensus guidelines on PFCD-associated anorectal and fistula cancers by multidisciplinary experts from the international TOpClass consortium.

Cytokine signature in convalescent SARS-CoV-2 patients with inflammatory bowel disease receiving vedolizumab.

While differential antibody responses SARS-CoV-2 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) receiving infliximab and vedolizumab are well-characterized, the immune pathways underlying these differences remain unknown. Prior to COVID-19 vaccine development, we screened 235 patients with IBD receiving biological therapy for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and measured serum cytokines. In seropositive patients, we prospectively collected clinical data.

Geography Influences Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Serological Response in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Multinational Analysis From the ICARUS-IBD Consortium.

Background: Beyond systematic reviews and meta-analyses, there have been no direct studies of serological response to COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) across continents. In particular, there has been limited data from Asia, with no data reported from India. The ICARUS-IBD (International study of COVID-19 Antibody Response Under Sustained immunosuppression in IBD) consortium assessed serological response to SARS-CoV-2 in patients with IBD in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Mission, Organization, and Future Direction of the Serological Sciences Network for COVID-19 (SeroNet) Epidemiologic Cohort Studies.

Background: Global efforts are needed to elucidate the epidemiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the underlying cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including seroprevalence, risk factors, and long-term sequelae, as well as immune responses after vaccination across populations and the social dimensions of prevention and treatment strategies.

Methods: In the United States, the National Cancer Institute in partnership with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, established the SARS-CoV-2 Serological Sciences Network (SeroNet) as the nation's largest coordinated effort to study coronavirus disease 2019. The network comprises multidisciplinary researchers bridging gaps and fostering collaborations among immunologists, epidemiologists, virologists, clinicians and clinical laboratories, social and behavioral scientists, policymakers, data scientists, and community members.