Abstract
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which encompasses Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, represents a chronic and progressive condition characterised by periods of active inflammation interspersed with periods of remission. The resulting disease burden, arising from patient symptoms and complications, leads to a diminished quality of life for individuals with IBD. Despite significant advancements in the management of IBD, the ideal treatment targets are uncertain. The evolution of treatment targets in IBD signifies a paradigm shift from mere symptom control to a more holistic approach that aims at achieving deeper remission and improving patients' quality of life. The “treat-to-target” paradigm, guided by international consensus and expert insights, emphasises the importance of tailoring therapeutic goals to individual patient needs and disease severity. As our understanding of IBD's underlying mechanisms deepens and therapeutic options expand, treatment goals have evolved to include not only clinical response but also the pursuit of more objective endpoints such as endoscopic healing. Emerging targets, such as the assessment of transmural healing through cross-sectional imaging and the focus on histologic remission as a predictor of long-term outcomes, hold great promise in further refining IBD management strategies. However, further research is needed to recommend these treatment targets in clinical practice. In the review we explore the ongoing evolution of treatment targets in IBD aimed at optimising patient outcomes and ultimately improving quality of life (QoL).