Fecal markers of disease recurrence in IBD

The ability to assess disease recurrence in patients with IBD is a complicated task. Endoscopy with mucosal biopsy remains the gold standard for assessing disease activity, while radiology examinations and laboratory tests play supportive roles. Cumulative radiation exposure, the risks of repeated, invasive endoscopic examinations, and poor testing characteristics of nonspecific, serological markers demonstrate how difficult it is to perform a simple assessment of disease activity. In recent years, fecal biomarkers have emerged as potential markers of disease activity. Through direct contact with the intestinal mucosa, these markers may be more specific markers of intestinal inflammation. In this review, we discuss fecal biomarkers and their role assessing recurrence of disease after medically and surgically induced remission.