Health issues
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Clinic
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Contact the Clinic for Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD)
Would you like to make an appointment with a specialist from the IBD clinic for yourself or one of your relatives?Contact us by telephone on +32 (0)2 555 35 04 or by email at: ibd [dot] erasme [at] hubruxelles [dot] be (ibd[dot]erasme[at]hubruxelles[dot]be)Would you like to make an appointment for an endoscopy with a specialist from the IBD clinic for yourself or one of your relatives?Contact us by telephone on +32 (0)2 555 3292 or by email at: ibd [dot] erasme [at] hubruxelles [dot] be (ibd[dot]erasme[at]hubruxelles[dot]be)Are you a patient with an administrative request (prescriptions, reimbursements, certificates, documents for insurance purposes or copies of medical records)?Contact our medical administration by telephone on +32 (0)2 555 5422 or by email at: ibd [dot] erasme [at] hubruxelles [dot] be (ibd[dot]erasme[at]hubruxelles[dot]be)Are you a doctor and would you like to obtain your patients’ medical results, refer a patient or request a (second) opinion?Contact our clinic by telephone on +32 (0)2 555 54 22 or by email at: ibd [dot] erasme [at] hubruxelles [dot] be (ibd[dot]erasme[at]hubruxelles[dot]be)
Do you suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?
The Clinic for Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (MICI) or Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) provides care for all patients suffering from Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, unclassified colitis, lymphocytic/collagenous colitis, as well as coeliac disease, autoimmune diseases or intestinal vasculitis.
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Comprehensive care
Several specialist consultations are being developed for the care of adolescents and pregnant or breastfeeding women, the screening of primary immunodeficiency syndromes in adults, and patients with coeliac disease or autoimmune enteritis.
A multidisciplinary approach
There is a high level of multidisciplinary collaboration in the care of patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease, particularly during a weekly meeting involving colorectal surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, rheumatologists and dermatologists (or ophthalmologists or specialists responsible for immunodeficiency syndromes).
Discover the IBD Clinic at Erasme Hospital, H.U.B.
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Prof. Denis Franchimont, Director of the Clinic for Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
SpecialitiesChronic inflammatory bowel diseases.Screening for colon cancer and genetic screening for hereditary colon cancer syndromes.Diagnostic and therapeutic gastroscopy and colonoscopy.Upper gastrointestinal and anorectal endoscopic ultrasound.Resection of superficial colorectal tumours.
Make an appointment with Prof. Franchimont
A team of specialists by your side
PhysiciansProf. Claire LiefferinckxProf. Anneline CremerProf. Leila AmininejadDr. Cagla Gulkilik Dr. Clémence VukovicProf. Denis Franchimont Coordination of studies and clinical trialsCharlotte Minsart, Doctor of Biomedical Sciences, PhD. Emma DescampsChloé HelmanClinic coordination nurseValérie WambacqDietitianPauline Van OuytselConsultantsDr. Vincent BouillonDr. Haydeh Vafa ZanjaniMedical secretaryGeorgiana Vilcinschi
Make an appointment with Prof. Franchimont
A clinic committed to research
The clinic is involved in pharmaceutical clinical research (we have access to new molecules as part of international clinical trials), as well as translational and genetic research, particularly in collaboration with the BIRD (Belgium IBD Research Disease Group), the ECCO (European Crohn and Colitis Organisation) and the IIBDGC (International IBD Genetics Consortium).
In 2022, the clinic opened its translational research laboratory on the microbiota — The H.U.B Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Microbiota — where three doctors, one technician, two PhD students and one artificial intelligence engineer work.
Our scientific publications
In-depth study of monogenic primary immunodeficiency genes identifies rare XIAP variants in Crohn’s disease patients.
Amininejad L, Charloteaux B, Theatre E, Dmitrieva J, Hayard P, Muls V, Maisin J-M, Schapira M, Ghislain J-M, Closset P, Talib M, Abramowicz M, Momozawa Y, Deffontaine V, Crins F, Mni M, Karim L, Cambisano N, Deviere J, Hugot J-P, De vos M, Louis E, Vermeire S, Van Gossum A, Coppieters W, Twizere J-C, Georges M, Franchimont D. Gastroenterology 2018 Jun;154(8):2165-2177 (I.F. 33)
01 June 2018
Risk of Development of More-advanced Lesions in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Dysplasia
Cremer A, Demetter P, De Vos M, Rahier JF, Baert F, Moreels T, Macken E, Louis E, Ferdinande L, Fervaille C, Dedeurwaerdere F, Bletard N, Driessen A, De Hertogh G, Vermeire S, Franchimont D. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 13 June 2019. pii: S1542-3565(19)30645-7
13 June 2019
Collecting New Peak and Intermediate Infliximab Levels to Predict Remission in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Liefferinckx C, Bottieau J, Toubeau JF, Thomas D, Rahier JF, Louis E, Baert F, Dewint P, Pouillon L, Lambrecht G, Vallée F, Vermeire S, Bossuyt P, Franchimont D. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2022 Feb 1;28(2):208-217.
01 February 2022
Large-scale sequencing identifies multiple genes and rare variants associated with Crohn’s disease susceptibility
. Sazonovs A, Stevens CR, Venkataraman GR, Yuan K, Avila B, Abreu MT, Ahmad T, Allez M, Ananthakrishnan AN, Atzmon G, Baras A, Barrett JC, Barzilai N, Beaugerie L, Beecham A, Bernstein CN, Bitton A, Bokemeyer B, Chan A, Chung D, Cleynen I, Cosnes J, Cutler DJ, Daly A, Damas OM, Datta LW, Dawany N, Devoto M, Dodge S, Ellinghaus E, Fachal L, Farkkila M, Faubion W, Ferreira M, Franchimont D, Gabriel SB, Ge T, Georges M, Gettler K, Giri M, Glaser B, Goerg S, Goyette P, Graham D, Hämäläinen E, Haritunians T, Heap GA, Hiltunen M, Hoeppner M, Horowitz JE, Irving P, Iyer V, Jalas C, Kelsen J, Khalili H, Kirschner BS, Kontula K, Koskela JT, Kugathasan S, Kupcinskas J, Lamb CA, Laudes M, Lévesque C, Levine AP, Lewis JD, Liefferinckx C, Loescher BS, Louis E, Mansfield J, May S, McCauley JL, Mengesha E, Mni M, Moayyedi P, Moran CJ, Newberry RD, O'Charoen S, Okou DT, Oldenburg B, Ostrer H, Palotie A, Paquette J, Pekow J, Peter I, Pierik MJ, Ponsioen CY, Pontikos N, Prescott N, Pulver AE, Rahmouni S, Rice DL, Saavalainen P, Sands B, Sartor RB, Schiff ER, Schreiber S, Schumm LP, Segal AW, Seksik P, Shawky R, Sheikh SZ, Silverberg MS, Simmons A, Skeiceviciene J, Sokol H, Solomonson M, Somineni H, Sun D, Targan S, Turner D, Uhlig HH, van der Meulen AE, Vermeire S, Verstockt S, Voskuil MD, Winter HS, Young J; Belgium IBD Consortium; Cedars- Sinai IBD; International IBD Genetics Consortium; NIDDK IBD Genetics Consortium; NIHR IBD BioResource; Regeneron Genetics Center; SHARE Consortium; SPARC IBD Network; UK IBD Genetics Consortium; Duerr RH, Franke A, Brant SR, Cho J, Weersma RK, Parkes M, Xavier RJ, Rivas MA, Rioux JD, McGovern DPB, Huang H, Anderson CA, Daly MJ. Nat Genet. 2022 Sep;54(9):1275-1283.
29 August 2022
Useful Resources and Links for Patients with Crohn’s Disease, Colitis and IBD
Whether you have already been diagnosed or suspect that you may have IBD, we are here to support and inform you every step of the way. That is why we offer a series of resources (produced by doctors, researchers, patient associations and public health stakeholders) to help you better understand and manage your condition and identify support groups with which you can connect.
ASSOCIATION – The Crohn-RCUH non-profit association seeks to meet the social an…
ASSOCIATION – Belgian Coeliac Society
PODCAST – IBD Today: The podcast dedicated to inflammatory bowel diseases
FOUNDATION - BRIDGE - Brussels IBD Effort, a Network of ULB Hospitals
FAQ on Crohn’s Disease and Colitis
1. What is Crohn’s disease?
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. It is characterised by segmental inflammation and may lead to complications such as strictures or fistulas.
2. What are the differences between Crohn’s disease and other forms of colitis?
Crohn’s disease affects the entire digestive tract, with discontinuous lesions.Ulcerative colitis (UC) affects only the colon and rectum, with continuous lesions.Infectious colitis is caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites and is generally temporary.Ischaemic colitis results from reduced blood flow to the colon.Microscopic colitis (lymphocytic and collagenous) is visible only under a microscope and causes chronic diarrhoea.
3. What are the main symptoms of Crohn’s disease?
Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhoea (sometimes bloody), weight loss, fatigue, and sometimes fever. Extraintestinal manifestations, such as joint pain, skin rashes or eye problems, may also occur.
4. Is Crohn’s disease hereditary?
There is a genetic predisposition: approximately 10 to 20% of people with inflammatory bowel disease have a close relative with IBD. However, other environmental and immune factors are necessary to trigger the disease.
5. How can Crohn’s disease be differentiated from infectious colitis?
Infectious colitis is generally acute and caused by an identifiable infection (bacteria, viruses or parasites). Stool tests can confirm the infectious cause. Crohn’s disease, on the other hand, is chronic, with recurrent flare-ups and periods of remission.
6. What are the treatments for Crohn’s disease?
Treatments include:Anti-inflammatory drugs (such as mesalazine or corticosteroids).Immunosuppressants (azathioprine, methotrexate).Biological therapies targeting specific molecules (anti-TNF, anti-IL-12/23, etc.).In the event of complications, surgery may be necessary to remove affected sections of the intestine.
7. Can Crohn’s disease cause serious complications?
Yes, it can lead to:Strictures (narrowing of the intestines that can cause obstructions).Fistulas (abnormal connections between organs or the skin).Abscesses.Increased risk of colorectal cancer (in cases of prolonged inflammation).
8. What factors worsen colitis and Crohn’s disease?
Stress and anxiety can exacerbate symptoms.Smoking particularly worsens Crohn’s disease.An unbalanced or irritating diet can intensify flare-ups.
9. Can diet prevent or cure colitis and Crohn’s disease?
There is no diet capable of curing the disease, but certain dietary choices may alleviate symptoms. Low-residue or low-FODMAP diets are often used during flare-ups. A balanced diet is essential to prevent deficiencies.
10. How does one live with a chronic disease such as Crohn’s disease or colitis?
With appropriate treatment, many patients can achieve remission and lead a normal life.It is important to maintain regular follow-up with a gastroenterologist.Taking part in support groups or associations can help manage the psychological impact of the disease.
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Clinic
