title: Intestinal fibrosis: ready to be reversed.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intestinal fibrosis is a common complication of several enteropathies, with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) being the major cause. Intestinal fibrosis affects both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and no specific antifibrotic therapy exists. This review highlights recent developments in this area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pathophysiology of intestinal stricture formation includes inflammation-dependent and inflammation-independent mechanisms. A better understanding of the mechanisms of intestinal fibrogenesis and the availability of compounds for other nonintestinal fibrotic diseases bring clincial trials in stricturing Crohn's disease within reach.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improved understanding of its mechanisms and ongoing development of clinical trial endpoints for intestinal fibrosis will allow the testing of novel antifibrotic compounds in IBD.
authors.affiliation: aGastroenterology Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy bDepartment of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute cDepartment of Pathobiology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Latella
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rieder
mesh_terms: D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D018450:Disease Progression; D055808:Drug Discovery; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects*; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents