All explainers

Every published explainer, newest first. Filter by topic or section.

Topic

Section

Audience

A softly lit empty hospital outpatient consultation room seen from the doorway, pale cream walls, a single tidy desk with two chairs facing each other, a small succulent in a white ceramic pot on the windowsill, diffuse violet ambient light filtering through a frosted window, no people visible, no text or labels on any surface, photographic depth of field, calm ordered clinical atmosphere

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 4 August 2026

When Pain Conditions Precede IBD: What a 2026 Systematic Review Reveals

Many people with IBD spent years navigating IBS, chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, or fibromyalgia before their diagnosis arrived. A 2026 systematic review examined whether these chronic overlapping pain conditions are predisposing or perpetuating factors for IBD, finding a significant bidirectional association with implications for how patients are understood and assessed.

Close-up of a clean hospital pharmacy preparation counter in soft early-morning light, two short neat rows of small clear glass vials with plain neutral rubber stoppers on a smooth white clinical surface, a folded white gauze square resting to one side, diffuse violet ambient light filtering through a frosted window in the background, no labels or text visible on any surface, no people, no active machinery, photographic depth of field, calm ordered clinical atmosphere

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 3 August 2026

Clostridioides Difficile and IBD: What a 2026 Meta-Analysis Found About Antibiotic Treatment

IBD patients face higher rates of C. difficile infection, and the available antibiotics do not perform equally. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis pooling 643 IBD patients found that vancomycin was associated with half the recurrence rate of metronidazole, while calling for stronger prospective evidence.

Empty clinical consultation room, a white ceramic tray holding two sterile autoinjector pens in blister packaging and a pair of alcohol wipes on a clean examination table in the foreground, soft violet ambient light from recessed ceiling panels and a frosted window in the background, pale clinical walls, no people, no visible text or labels on any surfaces, photographic realism, depopulated medical still-life

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 2 August 2026

What the Cochrane Evidence Says About Certolizumab Pegol for Crohn's Disease

A 2022 Cochrane systematic review examined randomised trial data on certolizumab pegol (Cimzia) in Crohn's disease and found it significantly more effective than placebo for maintaining remission in patients who responded to induction therapy. Certolizumab is structurally unique among anti-TNF biologics, with implications for certain groups of patients. Here is what the evidence shows.

Empty hospital pharmaceutical storage room, neat rows of glass infusion bottles on stainless steel shelving, cool overhead fluorescent lighting with a soft violet ambient glow from recessed panels, no text visible on any bottles or labels, no people, clinical precision, photographic realism, 16:9 landscape composition

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 1 August 2026

Comparing All Biologics for Crohn's Disease: What a 2026 Cochrane Network Meta-Analysis Found

A June 2026 Cochrane network meta-analysis pooled evidence from 94 randomised controlled trials to rank biologic drugs for Crohn's disease side by side. The analysis found high-certainty evidence that ustekinumab is the most effective biologic for inducing remission. Here is what the results mean for patients.

Empty modern physiotherapy consulting room viewed from a low neutral angle, a clean padded examination table in the center, light hardwood floor, large frosted glass window casting diffuse soft violet ambient light across the room, minimal clinical furnishings, calm early morning atmosphere, no people, no text, no labels visible anywhere, photographic quality, shallow depth of field

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 1 August 2026

IBD and Ankylosing Spondylitis: New Research Confirms the Causal Link Your Doctor May Not Have Mentioned

Many people with inflammatory bowel disease also live with persistent back pain or stiffness and never connect the two. A 2026 meta-analysis using genetic evidence found that the association between IBD and ankylosing spondylitis is not coincidental: it is causal, and it runs in both directions.

Empty hospital infusion suite at dawn: a tall chrome IV drip stand with two clear infusion bags in the foreground, reclining clinical chairs arranged along a pale wall, soft violet ambient light filtering from a frosted side window, no people, no visible text or labels on any surface, photographic realism, depopulated interior still-life

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 1 August 2026

What Two Cochrane Reviews Found About Infliximab for Crohn's Disease

Two Cochrane systematic reviews pull together nineteen randomised trials on infliximab in Crohn's disease. Here is what two decades of trial data show about inducing and maintaining remission, and what the evidence does not yet settle.

Empty hospital infusion suite at dawn, a tall chrome IV drip stand holding clear bags in the foreground, clinical recliner chairs arranged at intervals along a pale wall, soft violet ambient light from recessed ceiling panels and a frosted window, no people, no text or labels on any surfaces, photographic realism, depopulated interior still-life

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 31 July 2026

What the Cochrane Evidence Says About Vedolizumab for Crohn's Disease

A 2023 Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis pooled randomised trial data on vedolizumab in Crohn's disease and found it more effective than placebo for both inducing and maintaining remission. Here is what those results mean for patients living with Crohn's.

A quiet clinical microbiology laboratory bench at first light, a sterile glass culture flask with amber-tinted growth medium resting on folded white linen beside a closed petri dish, a small spiral notebook at the corner, soft violet pre-dawn light from a frosted window, no people, no faces, no text or labels, photographic realism, depopulated interior still-life

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 30 July 2026

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation for Ulcerative Colitis: What a 2026 Meta-Analysis of Trials Found

A 2026 meta-analysis pooled six randomised trials in ulcerative colitis and found FMT roughly doubled clinical remission rates compared to controls. A plain-language account of what the numbers actually say, and what they do not yet conclude.

Close-up of a clean laboratory work surface at early morning, a small neat rack of plain glass specimen collection tubes with dark red caps arranged in two rows, a blank open spiral notebook, a simple pen beside it, diffuse soft violet ambient light from a frosted window in the background, immaculate white bench surface, no laboratory analysers or machines visible, no text visible anywhere, no people, photographic quality, shallow depth of field, calm clinical atmosphere

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 29 July 2026

Your Blood Count Already Tracks IBD Activity: What a 2026 Systematic Review Found About RDW

Every routine full blood count includes a value called red cell distribution width. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis found this commonly overlooked number rises during IBD flares and falls in remission, and that a simple cutoff can distinguish active from quiescent disease with meaningful accuracy.

A calm empty therapist consulting room viewed from the open doorway, soft morning light through sheer curtains falling on two upholstered armchairs facing each other across a low wooden table, a small green houseplant in the corner, warm oak flooring, walls painted in a gentle off-white, no people visible, no text or signage anywhere in the frame, a faint violet ambient glow from the window light, quiet and composed atmosphere, photographic quality, interior architecture photography

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 28 July 2026

Can Psychological Support Help Manage IBD? What the 2025 Cochrane Review Found

A 2025 Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether psychological interventions, including cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, and psychotherapy, improve outcomes for people with inflammatory bowel disease. Here is an evidence-honest account of what the data showed.

A sunlit microbiology laboratory bench with glass sample jars and an open petri dish on a clean white surface, soft violet ambient light from a nearby window, no people visible, depopulated photographic scene, no text or labels visible

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 27 July 2026

Can Gut Bacteria Predict Whether Infliximab Works? A 2026 Review of the Evidence in Children With IBD

A 2026 systematic review identified specific gut microbiome patterns that appear linked to infliximab treatment response in children with IBD, raising the possibility that a stool sample taken before the first infusion could help predict which patients are most likely to benefit from the drug.

Sourced explainer· Reviewed 26 July 2026

A Training Belt Helped New Stoma Patients Build Skills and Ease Anxiety: What a 2026 Trial Found

A 2026 randomised controlled study published in Nursing Open found that intestinal stoma patients who practised care using a specially designed training belt showed stronger skills, better adjustment, and lower anxiety than those who received standard instruction alone.

1 / 8