Pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory bowel disease: implications for treatment 2001 and beyond

ABSTRACT

The inflammatory bowel diseases ulcerative colitis and Crohnïs disease are probably syndromes rather than single entities. Neither the susceptibility genes no definite environmental factors have been found thus far. The immune concept of these disorders might not include all patients, alternative hypotheses for etiology and pathophysiology need to be studied. Consequently non immune based new approaches on alternative etiological/pathophysiological pathways may be necessary