An overview of lipid abnormalities in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder which encompasses two forms of intestinal inflammation: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It is reported that inflammation, carotid intima media thickness, homocysteine and insulin resistance, parameters that are all associated with atherosclerosis, are increased in IBD. On the contrary, it seems that IBD patients exhibit low levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol. This review highlights the lipid profiles that occur in IBD patients and summarizes data of studies using regimens that may affect lipid metabolism in these patients.