The Immunology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Although several measurements of both cellular and humoral immunity are altered in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), no direct pathogenic role can be confirmed in either ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn\u27s disease (CD). No clear role has been shown for allergic, microbiological, or psychogenic factors, and no specific genetic susceptibility has been demonstrated. Several studies have shown some benefit from using immunosuppressive drugs to treat inflammatory bowel disease, such as sulfasalazine to treat ulcerative colitis and corticosteroids to treat Crohn\u27s disease. Whether these benefits derive from the anti-inflammatory activity of these drugs or from their immunological effects is uncertain