THE INCIDENCE of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is in- creasing worldwide. The underlying causes of IBD, which encom- passes Crohn's disease and ulcerative coLitis, are unknown but are thought to be a com- bination of genetics, environmental factors, abnormal immune re- sponses and disruption to the microbiota in the gut. IBD can be a devas- tating disease, affect- ing quality of Life and increasing risks for bowel cancer. Effec- tive management has been an elusive goal, but with better under- standing of the inflam- matory and immune pathways involved in IBD, more successful therapies are entering clinical practice. To deliver quality care and help people with IBD manage this dis- ease, nurses must be familiar with the cur- rent understanding of its causes.
炎症性肠病（IBD）在全球范围内的发病率正在上升。IBD包括克罗恩病和溃疡性结肠炎，其潜在病因尚不清楚，但被认为是遗传、环境因素、异常免疫反应和肠道微生物群紊乱共同作用的结果。IBD可能是一种毁灭性疾病，会影响生活质量并增加患肠癌的风险。有效的治疗一直是一个难以实现的目标，但随着对IBD所涉及的炎症和免疫途径有了更深入的了解，越来越多成功的治疗方法正在进入临床实践。为了提供高质量的护理并帮助IBD患者管理这种疾病，护士必须熟悉目前对其病因的认识。
