Crohn’s Subtype Accurately Predicted through miRNA Molecule

Investigators at Cornell University and the University of North Carolina have just identified that the levels of a single molecule—microRNA-31 (miR-31)—can predict whether a patient has subtype 1 or subtype 2 of Crohn’s disease (CD). This is a critical discovery as patients with subtype 1, unlike subtype 2, often do not respond well to medications and develop strictures—extreme narrowing of the gut tube, requiring surgery once it develops. Findings from the new study were