Disease Monitoring of the Ileoanal Pouch: How to Utilize Biomarkers, Imaging, and Pouchoscopy.

There are indications that that the incidence of pouchitis may be increasing in recent decades. Calprotectin and other non-invasive imaging tests such as ultrasound may offer advantages in distinguishing patients with inflammatory conditions of the pouch from other etiologies. In the search for other biomarkers that may identify patients at risk for inflammatory conditions of the pouch, the stool microbiota and metabolomics may play a key role in identifying those patients at greatest risk for complications. Advances in biomarkers, imaging, and standardized pouchoscopy scoring offer immediate improvements in clinical care and will prompt future research efforts.