AGA Clinical Practice Update on Endoscopic Scoring Systems in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Commentary

Abstract

Description: Endoscopic scoring systems evaluate the severity of inflammation and provide objectivity, uniformity, and standardization of reporting of mucosal appearances in patients with inflammatory bowel disease; thus, they have been advised for assessing the efficacy of medical treatment and prognosis. This American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Clinical Practice Update Expert Commentary aims to review the utilized endoscopic scoring systems and their role in assessing mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel disease and the practical challenges in their applications, as well as to discuss the future of endoscopic scoring systems.

Methods: This expert commentary was commissioned and approved by the AGA Institute Clinical Practice Updates Committee and the AGA Governing Board to provide timely guidance on a topic of high clinical importance to the AGA membership and underwent internal peer review by the Clinical Practice Updates Committee and external peer review through standard procedures of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Results/conclusion: This expert commentary incorporates essential studies in this field and reflects the authors' expertise in the endoscopic evaluation of inflammatory bowel disease.

Keywords: Crohn’s Disease; Endoscopic Scoring Systems; Mucosal Healing; Ulcerative Colitis.