Overview
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a complex syndrome involving the small intestines and colon.  The disease involves an inflammatory process of the intestine thought to result from the activation of the immune systems directed at the inner wall of the gastrointestinal tract (Mucosa).  Recent investigations into the contributing factors to the disease involve a combination of interactions; genetic, environmental and immune factors.  There is thought to be a predisposition to disease activation that is spawned by a pathogenic response to microbiologicals in the gut lumen that evades an immune response when enhanced cytokine expression.  Mucosal ulceration and tissue inflammation of the small bowel and / or colon are consequences of this pathological immune response.

The disease can be very painful and life-altering.  Mild disease is characterized by near intermittent blood in the stool and more than 4 stools per day.  Moderate to high disease is characterized by near continuous blood in the stool, a background fever and more than 6 stools per day.  A Scandinavian longitudinal study of ulcerative colitis (most common of inflammatory bowel diseases) showed that at any given time 50 percent of people with the disease had no symptoms, 30 percent had low activity and 20 percent had moderate to high activity.

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Population Statistics
The estimates on the number of Americans living with the disease vary.  Sandler & Loftus Epidermiology of IBD captures a range of prevalence numbers across a number of geographies from 9 per 100,000 (Asia) to 408 per 100,000 (in central US).  The literature reports a wide range of potential prevalence.  IBD is more prevalent in Caucasian centric countries and has the highest incidence in the Jewish community.  The global market for IBD is focused in Europe and North America.  Using Sandler & Loftus’s numbers we come up with an overall prevalence for IBD of 1.2 million people in the US and about 1.3 million people in Europe.

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Current Treatment
A significantly large percentage of people suffering with these diseases do not respond to frontline therapies.  These people are forced to move to stronger, less attractive therapies such as anti-inflammatory steroids.  Steroids often swell the body as well as an assortment of long-term affects on the body.  As a last resort, those who do not respond well to the steroids are forced to have inflamed areas surgically removed.

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