Treatable traits in inflammatory bowel disease: a conceptual framework for personalized care.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42473537.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.104058 and PMC identifier 13380789.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex, immune-mediated, and heterogeneous condition requiring individualized, mechanism-based care. Despite advances in therapies and treat-to-target strategies, achieving and maintaining sustained remission, as well as restoring health-related quality of life (HRQoL), remains challenging. The concept of <i>treatable traits</i> provides a framework for precision medicine grounded on identifying specific, measurable, and actionable mechanisms whose modification can improve outcomes meaningful to both patients and healthcare systems. This manuscript proposes a conceptual structure for applying the treatable-traits paradigm to IBD. It describes three primary domains: gastrointestinal and intrinsic, extraintestinal and comorbidity, and psychological and behavioral, integrating immunological mechanisms, systemic complications, and psychosocial determinants. The model emphasizes the bidirectional gut-brain axis and shared immune-inflammatory pathways linking intestinal inflammation with mental health. It also highlights how the STRIDE-II initiative and modern clinical trials have shifted therapeutic targets toward deep and sustained remission, explicitly including quality-of-life endpoints such as the IBD Quality of Life Questionnaire (IBDQ). Operationalizing treatable traits in clinical reasoning may bridge biological and "experiential remission", helping clinicians prioritize actionable mechanisms, optimize therapy, and achieve the ultimate goals of IBD care: inflammation control, organ preservation, and restored wellbeing. None.