Editorial
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2008; 14(36): 5489-5490
Published online Sep 28, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.5489
Crohnology: A tale of time and times and inflammatory bowel diseases
Fernando Gomollón, Javier P Gisbert, Miquel Ángel Gassull
Fernando Gomollón, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Zaragoza, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, CIBEREHD, IACS, Spain
Javier P Gisbert, Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, CIBEREHD, Madrid, Spain
Miquel Ángel Gassull, Instituto de Investigación en Ciéncias de la Salud, Fundación Germans Trias i Pujol, CIBEREHD, Badalona, Spain
Author contributions: Gomollón F, Gisbert JP, and Gassull MÁ contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Fernando Gomollón, Hospital Clínico Universitario “Lozano Blesa” Zaragoza, Avenida San Juan Bosco 15, Zaragoza 50009, Spain. fgomollon@gmail.com
Telephone: +34-87-6766000 Fax: +34-97-6768846
Received: July 29, 2008
Revised: August 6, 2008
Accepted: August 13, 2008
Published online: September 28, 2008
Abstract

Time, times and timing are key words in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The leitmotif of this issue or World Journal of Gastroenterology is time. We have asked experts to review on the epidemiology of these diseases over time, the changes in innate immunity that could be present in the first time, and then the timing of key treatments. The correct time of using azathioprine, mercaptopurine, infliximab, cyclosporine and surgery are reviewed. We have chosen experts with not only great clinical expertise but also personal interest in clinical and basic investigation. Our goal in this monograph is to get an idea not only of the present but of the immediate future in some of the key management issues in IBD. To this end, we think that the authors are the most adequate.

Keywords: Inflammatory bowel diseases; Epidemiology; Innate immunity; Treatment