Sourced explainers · not medical advice

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) & Life with a Stoma plainly everything…

Scientific excellence, explained with clarity: Your comprehensive guide.

In plain clinical language
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Sourced explainer· Reviewed 29 June 2026

Why Crohn's Disease Is More Likely to Cause Anaemia Than Ulcerative Colitis: What a 2026 Systematic Review Found

A 2026 systematic review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences examined why anaemia is more prevalent in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis, identifying the key molecular and physiological mechanisms that drive the difference.

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For clinicians

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 29 June 2026

Vaccines and IBD: What the Guidelines Say About Timing Around Biologics and Immunosuppression

For people with inflammatory bowel disease on immunosuppressive treatment, vaccination is a planned, timing-sensitive part of care. International guidelines agree on a few clear principles: sort out vaccines early, give live vaccines before treatment where possible, and rely on inactivated vaccines once treatment has started.

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 27 June 2026

Anti-TNF Drugs for Children With Crohn's Disease: What a 2025 Cochrane Systematic Review Found

A 2025 Cochrane systematic review examined the randomised controlled trial evidence on tumour necrosis factor-alpha antagonists, including infliximab and adalimumab, for treating Crohn's disease in children and adolescents, a population in which treatment decisions carry particular weight given the needs of a developing body.

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 26 June 2026

Can IBD Affect Memory and Thinking? A 2026 Systematic Review of 66 Studies Investigates

A systematic review published in the Journal of Crohn's & Colitis in May 2026 searched PubMed and Scopus through August 2024, analysing 66 studies from population research, genetic investigations, and preclinical models, and found that patients with IBD may exhibit impaired cognitive function, particularly in memory, attention, and executive processing, with disease activity, chronic inflammation, and psychological stress among the contributing factors identified.

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 22 June 2026

The Gut-Brain Axis in IBD: What a 2026 Systematic Review of 1,040 Patients Found About Microbiota and Mood

A systematic review published in Frontiers in Microbiology in June 2026 analysed ten studies involving 1,040 IBD patients and found that anxiety and depressive symptoms were associated with reduced gut microbial diversity and enrichment of pro-inflammatory bacterial taxa, with authors concluding the relationship may be bidirectional.

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 21 June 2026

Beyond the Bowel: What a 2025 Cochrane Review Found About Psychological Interventions in IBD

A 2025 Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis by Tiles-Sar and colleagues examined the randomised trial evidence for psychological interventions in inflammatory bowel disease, assessing whether approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, and stress management affect disease activity, quality of life, and psychological wellbeing.

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 18 June 2026

Learning to Live With IBD: What a Cochrane Review Found About Patient Education Programs

A 2023 Cochrane systematic review examined the trial evidence for structured patient education interventions in inflammatory bowel disease, assessing whether programmes delivered by nurses, clinicians, or digital tools affect disease activity, quality of life, and patients' ability to manage their own condition.

Practical living

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Sourced explainer· Ostomy basics· Reviewed 19 June 2026

Ageing With an Ostomy: Six Domains the Research Says Matter Most for Home Self-Management

A 2026 evidence summary published in Frontiers in Medicine reviewed 15 high-quality studies on home self-management for elderly ostomy patients and synthesised 36 evidence-based recommendations across six care domains, from stoma assessment to medication management.

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Sourced explainer· Practical living· Reviewed 15 June 2026

Coming Home With an Ostomy: What the Evidence Says About the Weeks After Discharge

A 2026 best evidence summary published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing reviewed the research on post-discharge follow-up for colorectal cancer patients with a new ostomy, examining which components of structured support in the first weeks at home are backed by published evidence.

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 9 June 2026

What You Drink and IBD Risk: A 2026 Dose-Response Meta-Analysis Advances the Evidence

A 2026 systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis pooled data across multiple studies to map how different beverage types, from coffee and tea to alcohol and sweetened drinks, relate to the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 8 June 2026

Before Your Stoma Reversal: What a Cochrane Review of 9 Trials Found About Wound Closure and Infection Risk

A 2024 Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomised controlled trials found that purse-string skin closure during stoma reversal cuts the surgical site infection rate to roughly one-fifth of that seen with conventional linear closure — a finding worth discussing with your surgical team.

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Sourced explainer· Practical living· Reviewed 5 June 2026

High-Output Stoma: Five Evidence-Based Strategies and the Electrolyte Risks That Make Prompt Management Essential

A 2026 systematic review of 15 studies maps five categories of intervention for high-output stomas — and names the electrolyte imbalances that, left unmanaged, can lead to kidney injury and preventable readmission.

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Sourced explainer· Don't delay care· Reviewed 4 June 2026

What the 2026 AGA hemorrhoid update says — and why not every anal symptom is a hemorrhoid

A new American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Practice Update puts fibre, fluids and not straining first for symptomatic hemorrhoids, reserves procedures and surgery for higher grades — and is a reminder that bleeding from the bottom should be checked, not assumed.

Awareness & community

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Sourced explainer· Living with it· Reviewed 28 June 2026

Negative-Pressure Wound Dressings After Stoma Reversal: What Seven Randomised Trials Found

A 2026 GRADE-based systematic review and meta-analysis of seven randomised controlled trials compared negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) with conventional dressings after stoma reversal surgery, examining surgical site infection rates and healing outcomes.

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Sourced explainer· Research, plainly· Reviewed 26 June 2026

Which Biologic Medicines Help Crohn's Disease Remission? A 2026 Cochrane Network Review Compares Them All

A 2026 systematic review and network meta-analysis in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews examined the full range of biologic and advanced therapies for inducing and maintaining remission in Crohn's disease, providing the most comprehensive head-to-head evidence comparison to date.

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Sourced explainer· Living with it· Reviewed 25 June 2026

Wound Healing After Stoma Reversal: What a 2024 Cochrane Review Found

A 2024 Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis compared two techniques for closing the skin wound after stoma reversal and found that one approach was associated with a significantly lower rate of surgical site infection.

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Sourced explainer· Practical living· Reviewed 24 June 2026

Skin Problems Around the Stoma: What a 2026 Systematic Review Found About Who Is at Risk

A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis in Frontiers in Medicine examined risk prediction models for moisture-associated skin damage in the peristomal area, identifying the factors most consistently linked to skin breakdown in people living with a stoma.

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Sourced explainer· Living with it· Reviewed 23 June 2026

Stigma After Stoma Surgery: What a 2026 Evidence Review Found About Screening and Support

A 2026 literature review in Frontiers in Oncology identified approaches to detecting felt stigma in colorectal cancer patients with stomas and summarised evidence on which interventions provide meaningful support.

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Sourced explainer· Practical living· Reviewed 20 June 2026

Digital Health Tools for Ostomy Patients: What a 2026 Systematic Review Found

A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing evaluated digital health interventions for people living with a stoma, examining their effects on self-care behaviour and health-related quality of life.

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