Published online Dec 16, 2020. doi: 10.4253/wjge.v12.i12.504
Peer-review started: July 1, 2020
First decision: September 21, 2020
Revised: October 6, 2020
Accepted: November 5, 2020
Article in press: November 5, 2020
Published online: December 16, 2020
Processing time: 164 Days and 8.2 Hours
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) comprise two major forms: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The diagnosis of IBD is based on clinical symptoms combined with results found in endoscopic and radiological examinations. In addition, the discovery of biomarkers has significantly improved the diagnosis and management of IBD. Several potential genetic, serological, fecal, microbial, histological and immunological biomarkers have been proposed for IBD, and they have been evaluated for clinical routine and clinical trials. Ileocolonoscopy, especially with biopsy collection, has been considered the standard method to diagnose IBD and to assess clinical activity of the disease, but it is limited to the colon and terminal ileum and is considered invasive. For this reason, non-invasive biomarkers are necessary for this type of chronic inflammatory disease, which affects mostly young individuals, as they are expected to have a long follow-up.
Core Tip: Biomarkers are relevant for diagnostic support, differentiation between Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, determination of disease activity, and in prediction of response to therapy. This review discusses the most recent studies that correlate non-invasive clinical biomarkers of disease activity with the endoscopic scores available in clinical practice.