Inflammatory Bowel Disease

As in the first edition of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases this new edition continues to provide readers with a concise, yet in-depth review of many of the important areas in the history, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of the inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease), as well as associated issues: extraintestinal manifestations, ostomy care, women's issues, economics, etc. This Second Edition provides the reders with up-to-date, state-of-the art approaches to these disease states, with expansion into the newer topics that have emerged in the past few years which include the expansion of biological agents for treatment, new studies in the epidemiology of IBD, the changing economics of IBD, breakthroughs in new endoscopic evaluations, major advances in novel radiographic techniques, the detection of colorectal cancer in patients with IBD and new findings in the genetics of IBD.

New Trend / Developments (* These all emerged since our last edition)

The most critical trend that has arisen over the past few years has been the introduction and expansion of biological agents in the treatment of inflammatory diseases worldwide. While only one agent, infliximab (Remicade), existed at the time of publication of my first edition, there have been multiple other agents either approved or pending approval for the treatments of these diseases, or in the upper-stages of development. The impact is not only upon the patients, but also on the health-care providers, policy makers, researchers, biotech and pharmacompanies, and the business community.

Major changes worldwide in the epidemiology of IBD has spurred new studies in the demographics of who is getting these diseases and why. Previously characterized as diseases primarily affected Caucasians in industrialized countries, there has