Intestinal Research

Deciphering the diet-inflammatory bowel disease relationship: knowledge gaps and future perspectives: Arshdeep Singh, Arshia Bhardwaj, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood; Received November 5, 2025 Accepted December 28, 2025 Published online March 4, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2025.00278 [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract PDF: Diet is increasingly recognized not as a passive exposure but as a dynamic determinant of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis, progression, and treatment response. This review article redefines diet as a multidimensional modifier acting through complex interactions with genetics, microbiota, intestinal barrier function, and environmental exposures. Beyond nutrient composition, we highlight how age, sex, habitual diet, cooking methods, contaminants, and lifestyle collectively shape disease trajectories. We also identify key research priorities: incorporation of long-term, mechanistically anchored trials; development of digital, biomarker-informed dietary assessment tools; and integration of polygenic, microbial, and metabolic data to inform individualized therapy. Emerging evidence also calls for culturally tailored and patient-centered frameworks that ensure real-world adherence and equity in dietary interventions. Reframing diet as a biological, behavioral, and environmental nexus shifts it from the periphery to the forefront of IBD care, transforming it from a confounder in research to a therapeutic frontier in clinical practice.

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The JAK attack: transforming the management of ulcerative colitis in India: Arshdeep Singh, Arshia Bhardwaj, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood; Received July 26, 2025 Accepted September 8, 2025 Published online January 2, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2025.00153 [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract PDF PubReader ePub: Inflammatory bowel disease is increasingly recognized as a significant clinical entity in India, reflecting the country’s ongoing epidemiological transition. With a rising incidence and an expanding disease spectrum, the limitations of conventional therapeutic agents, such as corticosteroids and thiopurines, have become increasingly evident. This review examines the transformative role of Janus kinase inhibitors, particularly tofacitinib, in redefining therapeutic goals and bridging the gap between medical innovation and real-world implementation in resource-limited settings. Tofacitinib represents a pivotal advancement in the therapeutic landscape of ulcerative colitis (UC) in India, offering the advantages of oral administration, rapid onset of action, predictable pharmacokinetics, and cost-effective generic formulations–thereby overcoming several longstanding barriers to the adoption of advanced therapies. Accumulating real-world evidence from India supports its clinical utility across various phenotypes of UC, including corticosteroid-dependent or refractory disease, acute severe UC, ulcerative proctitis, elderly-onset UC, and in achieving deeper remission endpoints such as histologic healing. Furthermore, its incorporation into routine clinical practice has contributed to a measurable reduction in corticosteroid reliance, thereby aligning treatment strategies with international standards of care. By combining efficacy, safety, accessibility, and ease of use, tofacitinib has catalyzed a paradigm shift in the management of UC in the Indian context.

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The impact of inflammatory bowel disease on women’s health: a cross sectional study in India: Arshia Bhardwaj, Arshdeep Singh, Riya Sharma, Gopal Bhardwaj, Liza Joshi, Ramit Mahajan, Dharmatma Singh, Pankaj Kumar, Marla C. Dubinsky, Shaji Sebastian, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood; Received May 26, 2025 Accepted August 12, 2025 Published online November 14, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2025.00088 [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Background/Aims
The gender-specific impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on women in low- and middle-income countries remains underexplored. We aimed to assess the effects of IBD on different domains of women’s health.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in women with IBD at a tertiary care center in North India. Women with IBD were interviewed using a structured questionnaire assessing menstrual, reproductive, sexual, mental, social, and financial health, and healthcare access.
Results
Two hundred and two women (median age, 41 years; ulcerative colitis [n = 155, 76.7%]) were enrolled. Anemia was present in 161 women (79.7%), with a median hemoglobin of 10.5 g/dL. Among menstruating women (n = 138), 69 (50%) had irregular cycles, and 39 (28.3%) experienced IBD exacerbations during menstruation. Sexual dysfunction was reported in 82.5% (n = 137/166). Pregnancy-related concerns were common (n= 120, 59.4%), mainly due to risk of heritability and safety of IBD medication. Ten women (4.9%) attributed pregnancy loss to disease activity. Cervical cancer screening (3.0%) and human papillomavirus vaccination (4.0%) rates were low. The median SICC-IBD (social impact of chronic conditions in IBD) score was 0.6. Forty-three women (21.3%) reported difficulties in finding a partner due to IBD. Limited access to IBD specialists (n = 150, 74.3%) and medications (n = 164, 81.2%) were reported in hometown. Fifty-five women (27.2%) relied on loans to manage treatment expenses.
Conclusions
IBD affects women across physical, reproductive, social, and financial domains. Culturally sensitive, multidisciplinary care models are essential to address these unmet needs.

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Optimizing disease assessment and care pathways for pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease
Arshdeep Singh, Harmeet Kaur, Arshia Bhardwaj, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood
Indian Journal of Gastroenterology.2026;[Epub] CrossRef

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A survey on the practices and patterns in the management of acute severe ulcerative colitis in India: Arshia Bhardwaj, Arshdeep Singh, Riya Sharma, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood; Received April 21, 2025 Accepted August 18, 2025 Published online November 14, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2025.00060 [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Background/Aims
The real-world management of acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) varies considerably across regions and healthcare settings. This study aimed to evaluate current management practices for ASUC among gastroenterologists in India.
Methods
A structured, web-based survey covering 5 thematic domains (provider and institutional characteristics, clinical workload and initial management, diagnostic practices, infectious work-up, and strategies for rescue therapy) was disseminated via email. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results
A total of 228 responses were received from across India’s 5 geographic zones. The majority of respondents were affiliated with either corporate hospitals (n = 76, 33.3%) or teaching hospitals (n = 68, 29.8%). The majority (n = 135, 59.2%) reported managing up to 10 ASUC cases annually. The Truelove and Witts criteria were the most commonly used for diagnosis (n = 169, 74.1%). Nutritional assessment was performed by 89 respondents (39.0%). Biopsies for cytomegalovirus during index sigmoidoscopy were obtained by 75 (32.9%). Intravenous hydrocortisone was the preferred steroid (n = 188, 82.5%). Low molecular weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis was never prescribed by 62 respondents (27.2%). Oxford criteria were most frequently used to assess steroid response (n = 150, 65.8%). More than half of the respondents (n = 125, 54.8%) reported that fewer than 50% of patients accepted rescue therapy. Rescue therapy was initiated on or after day 5 by 153 respondents (67.1%). Early involvement of colorectal surgeons was reported by 66 (28.9%). A majority (n = 200, 87.7%) were associated with low-volume centers for ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, performing < 5 procedures per year.
Conclusions
This nationwide survey reveals considerable heterogeneity in ASUC management in India. Standardizing care through patient and healthcare provider education and context-specific guidelines is imperative.

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Clinical spectrum of acute severe ulcerative colitis in the biologic era: a prospective cohort study from India: Arshdeep Singh, Mayur Luthra, Arshia Bhardwaj, Ramit Mahajan, Riya Sharma, Dharmatma Singh, Devanshi Jain, Omesh Goyal, Varun Mehta, Kirandeep Kaur, Yogesh Kumar Gupta, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood; Received November 18, 2024 Accepted March 4, 2025 Published online June 9, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2024.00189 [Epub ahead of print]

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub: Background/Aims
Acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is a time-critical situation requiring urgent intervention. Limited data exist on the evolving clinical spectrum of ASUC in the era of advanced therapies.
Methods
This prospective real-world observational cohort study included 145 adult patients hospitalized with ASUC between January 2020 and June 2024. ASUC was defined by the modified Truelove and Witts criteria. Demographics and disease characteristics, including disease severity, probable precipitating factors, and corticosteroid failure rates, were recorded.
Results
The median age of patients was 36 years (interquartile range, 26–48.5 years) with 63 females (43.4%). Most patients had left-sided colitis (53.1%). The median disease duration was 1 year (IQR, 0.5–3 years), with 91 patients (62.7%) presenting with ASUC within the first year of diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. One-third of the patients had previous exposure to biologics and small molecules. The most commonly reported probable precipitants of ASUC were poor compliance with treatment (n = 43, 29.6%), antibiotic use (n = 35, 24.1%), high perceived stress (n = 32, 22.1%), and Clostridioides difficile infection (n = 19, 13.1%). Forty patients (27.5%) were non-responders to intravenous corticosteroids (IVCS). Twenty-nine patients (20%) received medical rescue therapy (infliximab, n = 14 [48.27%], cyclosporine A, n = 6 [20.68%], and tofacitinib, n = 9 [31.03%]). Seven patients (4.82%; 4 after non-response to IVCS and 3 after non-response to medical rescue therapy) underwent colectomy.
Conclusions
In this cohort of ASUC patients, poor treatment compliance, antibiotic use, stress, and C. difficile infection were common precipitants of flare-ups. Nearly one-third of patients required medical rescue therapy, and a small proportion ultimately underwent colectomy.

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IBD

Predictive accuracy of fecal calprotectin for histologic remission in ulcerative colitis: Arshdeep Singh, Arshia Bhardwaj, Riya Sharma, Bhavjeet Kaur Kahlon, Ashvin Singh Dhaliwal, Dharmatma Singh, Simranjeet Kaur, Devanshi Jain, Namita Bansal, Ramit Mahajan, Kirandeep Kaur, Aminder Singh, Vikram Narang, Harpreet Kaur, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood; Intest Res 2025;23(2):144-156. Published online November 11, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5217/ir.2024.00068

Abstract PDF Supplementary Material PubReader ePub

Background/Aims
Accurate assessment of disease activity is crucial for effective management and treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). This study evaluated the correlation between clinical, endoscopic, and histologic measures of disease activity in UC.
Methods
Clinical, biochemical, endoscopic, and histologic disease activity was studied in 347 patients with UC. Agreements among various histologic classification systems, namely the Geboes Score (GS), Continuous GS, Nancy Index (NI), and Robarts Histopathology Index (RHI), were analyzed. The predictive accuracy of fecal calprotectin (FC) for endoscopic and histologic remission was assessed.
Results
We demonstrate a fair to moderate correlation between clinical, endoscopic, and histologic measures of disease activity in UC. There was a robust concordance among GS, Continuous GS, NI, and RHI in distinguishing between patients in histologic remission or activity. The NI detected 75% of patients who met the remission criteria according to the RHI, whereas the RHI identified all patients in remission as defined by the NI. FC levels below 150 μg/g had >70% accuracy in predicting endoscopic remission. FC levels below 150 μg/g showed ≥80% accuracy, and FC levels below 100 μg/g demonstrated ≥ 85% accuracy in predicting histologic remission, regardless of the scoring index applied. Elevated FC levels were associated with both acute and chronic inflammatory infiltrates in biopsy samples.
Conclusions
FC is a reliable predictor of histologic remission, with higher accuracy at lower thresholds. The GS, Continuous GS, NI, and RHI demonstrate comparable performance. FC could help stratify patients’ need for colonoscopy for the assessment of endoscopic and histologic remission.

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KASID and Intestinal Research journal: a central academic hub for research of intestinal diseases in the Asia-Pacific region
Jae Hee Cheon, Hye Kyung Hyun, You Sun Kim, Dong Il Park, Tae Il Kim, Dong Soo Han
Intestinal Research.2026; 24(1): 6. CrossRef
Beyond mucosal healing: fecal calprotectin and the path toward histologic remission in ulcerative colitis
Yehyun Park
Intestinal Research.2025; 23(2): 115. CrossRef
Azathioprine or Tofacitinib as Maintenance Therapy in Corticosteroid‐Responsive Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis
Arshdeep Singh, Arshia Bhardwaj, Riya Sharma, Dharmatma Singh, Devanshi Jain, Namita Bansal, Gursimran Singh Kochhar, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics.2025; 62(7): 722. CrossRef
Endo-histologic outcomes in patients with ulcerative colitis responding to tofacitinib
Arshdeep Singh, Arshia Bhardwaj, Devanshi Jain, Riya Sharma, Dharmatma Singh, Ramit Mahajan, Kirandeep Kaur, Aminder Singh, Vikram Narang, Harpreet Kaur, Manavjot Singh, Pritish Gupta, Tanisha Sehgal, Vandana Midha, Ajit Sood
Indian Journal of Gastroenterology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Crosstalk between neutrophil extracellular traps and gut microbiota in ulcerative colitis: traditional Chinese medicine strategies
Yiyi Feng, Yuchen Liu, Xiuxiu Qiu, Jianfang Jiang, Jianling Mo, Yichuan Xv
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Non-Invasive vs. Invasive Markers in Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review of Intestinal Ultrasound, Biopsy, and Faecal Calprotectin
Viviana Parra-Izquierdo, Juliette De Avila, Oscar Gómez, Nelson Barrero, Miguel Duarte, Consuelo Romero-Sánchez
International Journal of Molecular Sciences.2025; 26(17): 8129. CrossRef

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