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Open research questions in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

1,518 gap statements mined from Inflammatory Bowel Disease papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 6,069 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

Choosing where to publish on Inflammatory Bowel Disease? See the ranked Biology journals.

What the literature leaves open

  • Clinical variability and variability in patient response to pharmacologic therapy are currently significant challenges in IBD. There is a need for reliable predictive biomarkers that can inform personalized treatment approaches in IBD. The study identifies a gap in the current understanding of the role of microRNAs in IBD.

    The Association of microRNA-145 and microRNA-191 with Therapeutic Response in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease · 2026 · DOI

  • The clinical characteristics of pediatric CD in Japan are not well understood. The usefulness of MRE as an imaging modality for pediatric CD in Japan needs to be assessed.

    Clinical utility of magnetic resonance enterography for pediatric Crohn’s disease: a review with illustrative cases and a focus on Japan · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a clear understanding of the pathophysiological basis of pancreatic hyperenzymemia in IBD. The need for a phenotype-oriented diagnostic approach.

    Pancreatic Hyperenzymemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Clinical Characterization and Outcomes from the European PANDORA Registry · 2026 · DOI

  • The pathophysiological basis of pancreatic hyperenzymemia in IBD remains poorly defined. Available hypotheses are largely speculative. There is a need for a better understanding of pancreatic hyperenzymemia in IBD.

    Pancreatic Hyperenzymemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Clinical Characterization and Outcomes from the European PANDORA Registry · 2026 · DOI

  • Fecal calprotectin results may be unavailable during assessment of inflammatory or ulcerative intestinal lesions. There is a need to develop a diagnostic prediction model for ulcerative colitis using alternative markers.

    Diagnostic prediction of ulcerative colitis using simplified endoscopic features and blood count-derived indices: a multicenter study · 2026 · DOI

  • The need to understand the molecular basis of catalpol's protection. The challenge of restoring gut microbiota homeostasis in colitis.

    The gut microbiota-IPA axis mediated by catalpol alleviates DSS-induced colitis through AhR activation · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of understanding of the dynamic changes in SIBO following stricture-directed interventions in patients with Crohn's disease.

    Dynamic Changes in Small-Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Following Stricture-Directed Interventions in Patients With Crohn’s Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study · 2026 · DOI

  • The study notes that the diagnosis of CMV colonic infection can be challenging. The study highlights the need for careful consideration of the role of CMV infection in ASUC prognosis. The study notes that the management of ASUC patients with concomitant CMV colonic infection requires careful consideration of the potential risks and benefits of different treatment strategies.

    Incidence and Prognostic Factors for Colectomy in Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis with Concomitant CMV Infection · 2025 · DOI

  • The role of CMV infection in ASUC prognosis remains debated. The rates and predictors for colectomy in ASUC patients with concomitant CMV colonic infection are not well understood.

    Incidence and Prognostic Factors for Colectomy in Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis with Concomitant CMV Infection · 2025 · DOI

  • The complexity of ulcerative colitis and the need for novel therapeutic approaches. The challenge of extracting and fractionating fucoidan from Sargassum horneri. The difficulty in evaluating gut microbial diversity in a zebrafish model of ulcerative colitis.

    The Synergistic Role of Sargassum horneri Fucoidan and Lactobacillus plantarum: Microbiome and Gut Barrier Restoration in Zebrafish Colitis · 2025 · DOI

  • The lack of effective therapeutic approaches for ulcerative colitis. The need for novel therapeutic strategies to alleviate the symptoms and mortality associated with ulcerative colitis. The potential of synbiotics containing both probiotics and prebiotics as a therapeutic strategy for the prevention of intestinal dysbiosis and intestinal barrier disruption.

    The Synergistic Role of Sargassum horneri Fucoidan and Lactobacillus plantarum: Microbiome and Gut Barrier Restoration in Zebrafish Colitis · 2025 · DOI

  • The current pharmacological treatments for ulcerative colitis have significant side effects. There is a lack of highly effective, low-toxicity natural drugs or dietary interventions for the prevention and treatment of ulcerative colitis. The precise etiology of ulcerative colitis remains unknown.

    Integrated Macrogenomics and Metabolomics Analysis of the Effect of Sea Cucumber Ovum Hydrolysates on Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis · 2025 · DOI

  • The study notes that the data were not normally distributed, requiring the use of non-parametric tests. The study identifies a challenge in measuring urinary PCSK9 levels, which were significantly lower than serum levels. The study notes that the relationship between PCSK9 and cholesterol levels in IBD patients is complex and requires further investigation.

    Cholesteryl Ester Species but Not Serum Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Levels Decline in Male Patients with Active Inflammatory Bowel Disease · 2025 · DOI

  • Our previous meta-analysis highlighted that mucosal basal plasmacytosis (BP) can help in identifying IBD although evidence is limited.

    Basal plasmacytosis and eosinophilia for distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease from gastrointestinal tuberculosis on mucosal biopsy · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the optimal second-line treatment following vedolizumab failure remains unclear.

    Efficacy and Safety of Second‐Line Advanced Therapy After Vedolizumab in Ulcerative Colitis: A Multicenter Cohort Study From the GETAID · 2026 · DOI

  • Intestinal tissue levels of infliximab (IFX) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treated with subcutaneous (SC) therapy have not been previously assessed.

    Higher Colonic Tissue Drug Concentrations of Subcutaneous Compared to Intravenous Administration of Infliximab Therapy in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease · 2026 · DOI

  • Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its cardiometabolic complications are recognized in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, longitudinal trends and their impact on outcomes remain incompletely defined.

    Rising Burden and Clinical Impact of Metabolic Syndrome in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Real‐World Cohort Study · 2026 · DOI

  • While PIBD-specific data are limited, novel anti-IL-23p19 agents and oral Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) have shown promising results for refractory disease.

    Advanced therapies in management of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease · 2026 · DOI

  • Endoscopic scoring systems are central to postoperative management, yet their optimal use remains debated.

    Optimizing Endoscopic Assessment of Postoperative Crohn's Disease: A Scoping Review · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite treatments like short-chain fatty acid enemas, mesalazine, or corticosteroids, no standardized treatment has been established.

    Neovaginal Diversion Colitis Successfully Treated With Mesalazine Suppositories: Endoscopic Documentation of Healing · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigate the effects of BSNs on other diseases, - Examine the long-term effects of BSNs consumption, - Study the mechanisms by which native banana starch mitigates symptoms of DSS-induced…

    Banana starch nanoparticles exacerbate colitis by impairing intestinal barrier integrity in mice · 2026 · DOI

  • The study identifies a gap in understanding the clinical factors associated with endoscopic healing in pediatric patients with Crohn's disease treated with infliximab. The study aims to fill this gap by examining the association between infliximab initiation and endoscopic healing.

    Earlier Infliximab Initiation Is Associated with Endoscopic Healing in Pediatric Crohn’s Disease · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigate the mechanisms underlying the decrease in CE species in male IBD patients, - Examine the relationship between PCSK9 and other biomarkers in IBD patients, - Study the effects of IBD severity on CE species in female…

    Cholesteryl Ester Species but Not Serum Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 Levels Decline in Male Patients with Active Inflammatory Bowel Disease · 2025 · DOI

  • The study had exclusion criteria, including the presence of inflammatory or rheumatic diseases other than RA, - The study excluded individuals with extreme diets, those exposed to antibiotic therapy, and those taking probiotic agents, - The study had a limited sample size, - No information on long-term…

    Intestinal Dysbiosis, Tight Junction Proteins, and Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study · 2024 · DOI

  • Further investigation of intestinal permeability in RA patients, - Study of the relationship between tight junctions and gut microbiota in RA, - Investigation of the effects of modulating the gut microbiota on RA…

    Intestinal Dysbiosis, Tight Junction Proteins, and Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study · 2024 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) There is a need for reliable predictive biomarkers that can inform personalized treatment approaches in IBD (“The Association of microRNA-145 and microRNA-191 with Therapeutic Response in…”, 2026); (2) The clinical characteristics of pediatric CD in Japan are not well understood (“Clinical utility of magnetic resonance enterography for pediatric Crohn’s…”, 2026); (3) The lack of a clear understanding of the pathophysiological basis of pancreatic hyperenzymemia in IBD (“Pancreatic Hyperenzymemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Clinical…”, 2026); (4) There is a need to develop a diagnostic prediction model for ulcerative colitis using alternative markers (“Diagnostic prediction of ulcerative colitis using simplified endoscopic…”, 2026); (5) The lack of understanding of the dynamic changes in SIBO following stricture-directed interventions in patients with Crohn's disease (“Dynamic Changes in Small-Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Following…”, 2026). 1,518 gap statements have been mined from Inflammatory Bowel Disease papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 6,069 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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