Monitoring and prediction in IBD: Using biomarkers of gut barrier integrity and oxidative stress

Managing inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is complicated by alternating phases of remission and flare-ups, making individual clinical outcomes and treatment responses hard to anticipate. This doctoral research explored blood biomarkers to improve the monitoring and understanding of these conditions. It concentrated on oxidative stress and intestinal barrier function to determine if circulating indicators reflect disease activity, forecast progression, and signal therapy efficacy. The results demonstrate that oxidative damage and compromised barrier defense remain active biological factors even in patients with little to no symptoms, and shifts in specific markers correlate with disease trajectory and treatment success.