Balancing Act: Lessons From Comanaging Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease and HIV/AIDS

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) present unique challenges due to overlapping immune dysregulation and heightened infection risk. Although immunosuppressive therapy is central to management of moderate to severe IBD, concurrent HIV infection complicates both diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic decisions. Outcomes in this population remain poorly defined, with limited evidence available to guide management. This case series evaluates 3 challenging cases that demonstrates the diagnostic uncertainty and therapeutic complexity encountered when IBD and HIV coexist, underscoring the need for individualized, multidisciplinary care and further investigation to optimize outcomes in this vulnerable population.