Free IBD Knowledge Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers

Question 1: True or False: There is no cure for IBD.

True (Correct answer)
False

Correct answer: True

Explanation: There is no cure for IBD. As doctors do not yet fully understand what causes the disease, people with IBD may feel concerned, confused, and anxious about their future. Treatment goals for IBD are evolving, but there is a significant need for new treatment options that address the challenges and are effective, safe, and convenient.

Question 2: True or False: IBD is an unpredictable disease, with periods of flares and remission.

True (Correct answer)
False

Correct answer: True

Explanation: IBD is known for its complicated and unpredictable nature. During periods of good health, people with IBD may feel strong and well. However, IBD symptoms can flare up at any time, often for prolonged periods. During these periods, individuals with IBD can experience a variety of disruptive symptoms from frequent bowel movements and abdominal pain to even hospitalizations and surgeries.

Question 3: True or False: In both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease, the entire gastrointestinal tract can become inflamed.

True
False (Correct answer)

Correct answer: False

Explanation: In Crohn’s disease, inflammation can begin anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract (from the mouth to the anus), and all layers of the bowel walls may be inflamed so patients often experience more severe abdominal pain. However, with UC, inflammation affects only the inner lining of the colon, and the affected area begins at or near the rectum. Due to these differences, bloody stools are more common in individuals with UC compared to those with Crohn’s disease.

Question 4: True or False: People can stop responding to IBD treatment over time.

True (Correct answer)
False

Correct answer: True

Explanation: It’s estimated that about 80% of people with moderate to severe IBD do not experience long-term remission. Treatment goals focused on healing inflammation and ulceration in the gut may better predict long-term health.

Question 5: True or False: IBD is very rare in the United States.

True
False (Correct answer)

Correct answer: False

Explanation: IBD is actually most common in the United States and Europe, with approximately 3.6 million people living with the disease (1.4 million and 2.2 million in each region, respectively). IBD has an increased rate of diagnosis in adults between 15 and 35 years old. The number of people being diagnosed with IBD has also been rising, which may be due in part to better detection and diagnosis.

Question 6: True or False: IBD is caused by a prolonged state of inflammation that causes injury to the gut.

True (Correct answer)
False

Correct answer: True

Explanation: Inflammation in IBD is caused by an increased number of white blood cells. In people without IBD, white blood cells are able to attack and remove foreign cells from the gut. In patients with IBD, there is an increased number of white blood cells present which triggers an exaggerated immune response in the gut, and damage is caused through excessive and continuous inflammation.

Question 7: Which of the following conditions is considered an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Celiac Disease
None of the above (Correct answer)

Correct answer: None of the above

Explanation: None of these conditions are considered IBD. Though they have similar names, IBD is different from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Unlike IBD, IBS does not cause inflammation, ulcers, or other damage to the bowel. With IBS, the digestive system looks normal but does not function like it should. Symptoms of IBS include cramps, bloating, mucus in the stool, diarrhea, and constipation. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage to the small intestine, and GERD occurs when stomach acid frequently flows back into the esophagus.

Question 8: The highest concentration of microorganisms, or microbes, that live within our bodies is found in the intestines. How many microbes typically live in our gut?

Trillions (Correct answer)
Millions
Thousands
Hundreds

Correct answer: Trillions

Explanation: It is estimated there are trillions of microorganisms in our gut, which may weigh as much as five pounds! Our body is home to a vast ecosystem of microorganisms, and their combined genetic material, containing millions of genes, is known as the microbiome. Read more about the work we are doing to understand the role the microbiome might play in IBD here.

Question 9: The nurse notes that a client with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a stoma with a nipple valve. Which type of ostomy should the nurse document that this client has?

Ileostomy
Temporary ostomy
Continent ileostomy (Correct answer)
Loop ostomy

Correct answer: Continent ileostomy

Explanation: A continent ileostomy is a procedure where an intra-abdominal reservoir is created and a nipple valve is attached to prevent drainage of stool from the reservoir. A nipple valve is not used during an ileostomy, loop ostomy, or temporary ostomy.

Question 10: Which of the following best reflects our knowledge of the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in developing countries?

The incidence is lower in developing countries than in developed countries and there has been no increase in recent decades
The incidence is higher in developing countries than in developed countries
The incidence is lower in developing countries than in developed countries, but there is evidence of an increase in recent decades in developing countries that have undergone industrialization (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The incidence is lower in developing countries than in developed countries, but there is evidence of an increase in recent decades in developing countries that have undergone industrialization

Explanation: The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease is lower in developing countries than in developed countries, but there is evidence of an increase in recent decades in developing countries that have undergone industrialization.

Question 11: Based on the best evidence from randomized controlled trials, which one of the following treatments is best proven to maintain remission in Crohn’s disease?

Corticosteroids
Azathioprine (Correct answer)
Oral 5-aminosalicylic acid

Correct answer: Azathioprine

Explanation: A systematic review of the effectiveness of azathioprine in maintaining remission of quiescent Crohn’s disease identified five randomized controlled trials. The drug had a positive effect on maintaining remission.

Free IBD Knowledge Questions and Answers

True or False: There is no cure for IBD.