Inflammatory Bowel Disease In Children Research Articles

Early Exposure of Antibiotic as A Risk Factor for Gastrointestinal Disorders: An Evidence-Based Case Report

Background: Incidence rate of pediatric onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been increasing worldwide particularly in the rapidly growing countries. It has been hypothesized that environmental factors such as method of delivery, rural or urban living environment and the use of antibiotics, may play significant roles. Antibiotics are known to alter gut microbiome and henceforth may be the rational mechanism in the development of gastrointestinal autoimmune diseases. Methods: Literature search was performed on 3 international databases (PubMed, PubMed PICO and Google Scholar) by using relevant keywords based on clinical question. Results: Two systematic reviews were included in this study. Both studies reported strong evidence regarding the increase risk of occurrence for inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease after exposure of antibiotics particularly in young age Discussion: At young age, the immune system and gut microbiota is considered to be unstable and prone to disruption particularly by exposure of antibiotics. Antibiotics is known to weaken mucosal barrier of the gut which facilitates translocation of commensal bacteria. Translocation process together with the imbalance ratio of T-helper 1 and T-helper 2 may be the pathogenesis behind the development of chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Conclusion: There is strong evidence that early life exposure to antibiotic is associated with the development of IBD and Celiac disease in childhood. Therefore, it is critical for all healthcare workers to adhere to strict guidelines regarding the rationality on when to prescribe antibiotics particularly in children of young age.

Development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Treated With Biologics.

The aim of our study was to describe the distinct features of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients and to identify risk factors for its development. Data from the German biologics in pediatric rheumatology registry (Biologika in der Kinderrheumatologie) collected between 2001 and 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. In 5009 JIA patients, 28 developed confirmed IBD before the age of 18 years: 23 (82.1%) with Crohn disease (CD), 4 (14.3%) with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 1 (3.6%) with IBD-unclassified (IBD-U). The incident rate of IBD during 20 years of observation was 0.56% (0.46% for CD, 0.08% for UC, and 0.02% for IBD-U), of whom 20.3% were HLA-B27 positive, 25% had enthesitis-related arthritis, and 14.3% psoriatic arthritis. Within 90 days before IBD diagnosis, 82.1% (n = 23) received treatment with etanercept (ETA), 39.3% (n = 11) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 17.9% (n = 5) systemic corticosteroids, 8 (28.6%) methotrexate (MTX), 14.3% (n = 4) sulfasalazine, 10.7% (n = 3) leflunomide, and 3.6% (n = 1) adalimumab and infliximab, respectively. The incidence of IBD was lower in patients treated with MTX, but higher in patients treated with ETA except if ETA was combined with MTX. Also in patients on leflunomide or sulfasalazine, the IBD incidence was higher. In our JIA cohort, an increased IBD incidence is observed compared to the general population, and the ratio of CD to UC is markedly higher hinting at a distinct phenotype of IBD. Pretreatment with MTX seems to be protective. Treatment with ETA does not prevent IBD development and JIA patients treated with leflunomide and sulfasalazine may be at an increased risk for IBD development.

A case of terminal ileitis that was not Crohn’s disease

Currently, there is an increase in the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in children, including Crohn’s disease. Detection of typical endoscopic signs is the gold endoscopic standard for this disease diagnosis. When such endoscopic picture is accompanied by chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and laboratory changes in the form of increased levels of faecal calprotectin and C-reactive protein, the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease becomes apparent and the diagnostic search is stopped. But there are other diseases, including of infectious type, that may have similar clinical, laboratory and endoscopic symptoms, which should be included in the scope of diagnostic search. Aim. To acquaint physicians with the features of diagnosis and monitoring of a patient with Yersinia infection on the background of lactase deficiency, clinically reminiscent of Crohn’s disease. Clinical case. A boy, 14 years old, complained of abdominal pain, recurrent diarrhea, weakness, lack of weight gain. A mother considered the child sick for 9 months, when periodic abdominal pain, diarrhea up to 10–12 times a day, sometimes nausea and vomiting occurred. Over time, episodes of diarrhea became more frequent, mainly after drinking milk. Four months after the disease onset, the child lost appetite, developed weakness, abdominal pain, recurrent diarrhea, no weight gain with increasing body length. Eight months after presenting complaints, the child was admitted to a hospital with acute disease manifestations (fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea for 10 days). The boy was examined by a surgeon and a pediatric gastroenterologist. During colonoscopy, terminal ileitis was detected. The boy received non-specific treatment (mesalazine 3 g/day, etc.), there was a rapid improvement: abdominal pain disappeared, asthenic syndrome regressed, diarrhea reduced. Although amnestic, clinical, laboratory and instrumental data were very characteristic of Crohn’s disease, the diagnosis was questionable due to the lack of inflammatory changes in the general blood test and the fact that spontaneous remission of such severe exacerbation, for which mesalazine was usually ineffective. It was necessary to exclude other causes of inflammation of the small intestine (intestinal infections, tuberculosis). RNGA with pseudotuberculosis diagnosticum gave a positive result (intestinal yersiniosis diagnosticum O3). Conclusions. In children with suspected inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal infections, namely yersinia infection, should be ruled out as the cause of symptoms. Even with clear manifestations of terminal ileitis, which is characteristic of Crohn’s disease, the results of intestinal endoscopy may be relatively nonspecific, so the disease history, a correspondence with laboratory results, serological markers of some infectious diseases should also be taken into account in the diagnostic process for the ileitis etiology.

Atipical course of clostridial colitis in child with Hodgkin’s lymphoma

The wide antibiotics use in different areas of medicine has significantly increased the incidence of pseudomembranous colitis caused by Clostridium difficile. Strong necessity of antibacterial therapy in hematological patients is the reason of a higher frequency of this complication after programmed chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The atypical course of clostridial colitis makes it difficult to diagnose, leads to delay of treatment and fatal complications. We presented the case of clostridial colitis with atypical clinical manifestations in the 8-year-old child with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Disease was complicated by colon perforation and fecal peritonitis, which required surgery and long-term rehabilitation. The analysis of publications devoted to clostridial colitis in patients with hematological malignancies was carried out and possible reasons of its atypical course was reviewed. The ways to improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this serious complication are presented.

A critical review of adalimumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe active ulcerative colitis in children

Introduction Anti-TNF antibodies play a major role in treating IBD, both in adult and paediatric patients. While there is a large number of studies on efficacy and safety of infliximab in treating children and adolescents with UC, data on adalimumab (ADA) are scarce. Areas covered Here, we review published case reports, cohort and real time data as well as the first randomized trial, ENVISION I, using ADA for treating paediatric UC. Available evidence confirms good efficacy inducing and maintaining remission in children and adolescents with UC, with even higher response rates compared to adult UC. ENVISION I showed that in UC patients responding to ADA induction therapy almost half of the patients remained in remission after 52 weeks of therapy on high-dosing ADA (weekly administration). As already well experienced with other biologics, dosing schemes are different between paediatric and adult patients, with children often requiring higher dosing. Expert opinion: Further data are required to better understand how to optimize ADA therapy. The present and still growing evidence places sc. anti-TNF-medication as alternative first line therapy also for paediatric UC. This is also reflected by the preference for sc. medication of adolescent patients allowing less frequent and autonomous drug administration.

The use of drug monitoring of infliximab and adalimumab to optimize the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases in children

Introduction. The effectiveness of the use of TNF inhibitors in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has been shown. 20-40% of patients are known to fail to respond to received therapy, and 10-30% of patients experience a loss of effect by the year of therapy. Objective is to evaluate the information content of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) for effective treatment with TNF blockers (infliximab - IFX, adalimumab - ADA) in IBD children. Materials and methods. There were examined seventy four children on IFX therapy including 66 children on ADA therapy. The age of the children ranged from 3.4 to 18 years. Residual levels of IHF and ADA were determined using a lateral flow immunoassay. Statistical data processing was performed using the Statistica 10.0, SPSS 16 software. Differences between groups were assessed using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test. Results. IFX levels (less than 3 µg/ml) were detected in 64% of cases, ADA (less than 5 µg/ml) in 21% of cases. The residual level of IFX and ADA in remission significantly exceeded the level of drugs in groups of children in exacerbation. An inverse relationship was observed between the residual level of IFX (r = -0.68, p = 0.000) and ADA (r = -0.31, p = 0.000) and the number of days after drug administration. Anti-IFX antibodies were found in 27.3% in the exacerbation group and in 5.8% in remission (p < 0.001). Antibodies to ADA in children with IBD were found in 4 patients with a low concentration of the drug (2.57 ± 0.45 µg/ml) in the serum in a state of exacerbation. In patients on anti-TNF therapy, empirical dose selection revealed a residual level lower than in children in whom dose adjustment was carried out taking into account the residual concentration of drugs. Conclusion. The use of TDM TNF blockers in combination with the determination of antibodies to drugs can significantly increase the effectiveness of therapy in IBD children.

Pulmonary Function in Paediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background: Among the extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), those involving the lungs are relatively rare and often overlooked. There are only scarce data on the prevalence of IBD-associated lung involvement in children. Objectives: The aim of our study was to assess pulmonary function in IBD children by different methods and to evaluate the influence of immunosuppressive therapy on disease severity. Methods: Seventy-two children with IBD (mean age of 14.45 ± 2.27 years) and 40 age-matched healthy controls (mean age of 14.17 ± 2.82) were included in the study. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were carried out by means of spirometry, oscillometry (IOS) and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) to assess the pulmonary involvement. Results: Certain differences were observed between the study group and the control group, regarding the spirometric and oscillometry parameters. The fractions of exhaled nitric oxide did not differ between the group with IBD patients and the control group with regards to disease activity, the duration of illness and the administered immunosuppressive treatment. Conclusions: The mean spirometry results were significantly different in the study group compared to the controls, although they were still within the normal limits. The pulmonary function abnormalities did not depend on either the disease activity or the immunosuppressive therapy. Oscillometry could be a supplementary method to assess pulmonary resistance. In turn, FeNO does not appear to be useful either in screening IBD children for pulmonary involvement or for the evaluation of disease activity. It appears then that only general screening of asymptomatic patients is a suitable method and a necessary recommendation in this population, prompting a revision of the current diagnostic approach.

Diagnostic approach to chronic bowel diseases in children

Diagnosing inflammatory bowel diseases in children and differentiating them from functional disorders is complicated based on clinical assessment, laboratory data, and radiological, endoscopic, and histological signs. Therefore, in paediatrics, substantial attention has been given to standard invasive evaluation methods. Recently, research efforts have been directed towards using faecal calprotectin as a sensitive non-invasive stool test.
 The aim of the research was to study the diagnostic value of faecal calprotectin in pediatric chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. The paper discusses faecal calprotectin's diagnostic and monitoring role in 35 children aged 3 to 17 years with ulcerative colitis, non-specific non-ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. The concentration of the faecal calprotectin level was examined by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies.
 Results. The study shows that in patients with non-specific ulcerative and non-ulcerative colitis, the faecal calprotectin level exceeds the normal ranges 2-5 times, corresponding to clinical and morphological manifestations of the diseases and the level of inflammatory markers. However, this biological marker does not exceed the average values in children with irritable bowel syndrome.
 Conclusions. The faecal calprotectin test allows us to differentiate organic and functional intestinal diseases, monitor chronic inflammatory bowel disease activity dynamics, and estimate treatment effectiveness. Applying the faecal calprotectin test within the framework of primary medical care can decrease the number of referrals for invasive endoscopic, laboratory, and radiologic examinations in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel diseases

Consanguinity and Positive Family History of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in Children: A Multicenter Case–Control Study

AbstractInflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which comprise Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are rising trend in Saudi population. We aim to examine the association between consanguinity and family history and the risk of childhood IBD in Saudi children. A multicenter case–control study conducted in three tertiary hospitals in Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during periods 2009 to 2021. Data about demographics, consanguinity, family history of IBD, and type of IBD were collected using a structured questionnaire. The same questionnaire was applied in matched case–control. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression analysis that was performed to compare both groups. The study population included 335 children: 167 IBD patients (49.9%) and 168 controls (50.1%). Of these IBD, 93 patients (56%) were CD and 74 patients (44%) were UC. Most of participants were females (72.1%) and their age more than 10 years (51.5%). There was first-degree consanguinity in 66 IBD patients (49.6%). No significant difference in first-degree consanguinity between cases and controls was noted (49.6% in cases vs. 50.4% in controls; OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.66–1.57). The consanguinity showed a more significant association with CD than UC (p < 0.05). Family history of IBD (father, siblings, and grandparents) as risk factors for IBD was identified: paternal history of IBD (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.08–0.76), siblings' history of IBD (OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.92–2.43), and grandparent's history of IBD (OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.07–0.65). Family history of IBD showed a more significant association with CD than UC (p < 0.05). Consanguinity is strongly associated with IBD with more significant association with CD than UC and may possibly explain IBD rise in Saudi Arabia. The greatest risk of family history of IBD is in first-degree relatives, especially in siblings' rather than parents and grandparents.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: A Narrative Review.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic autoimmune condition that can have a wide range of symptoms among pediatric patients. Although clinical symptoms like hematochezia, diarrhea, and abdominal pain are commonly addressed, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is often overlooked in patients with IBD and pediatric patients with chronic disease in general. Examining HRQOL can help improve patient outcomes, but it has been studied sparingly. In this review, we aim to compare HRQOL between pediatric patients suffering from IBD and healthy children, as well as those suffering from other illnesses. We searched through peer-reviewed primary literature related to IBD and HRQOL and selected 10 articles from the PubMed database to be reviewed. Our inclusion criteria included articles published after the year 2000 in English, primary studies, and those that corresponded to the aim of this review. Case reports and secondary and tertiary articles were excluded from our review. We found that patients with IBD reported worse HRQOL in terms of overall health and in various subdomains, including physical health and fatigue, compared to their healthy counterparts. However, children with IBD demonstrated a comparable HRQOL with children suffering from functional abdominal pain (FAP) and obesity. Additionally, children with IBD displayed a greater HRQOL than pediatric patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and chronic constipation. In addressing the aim of this review, we found that children with IBD had a lower HRQOL when compared to healthy children, but a comparable or greater HRQOL than other sick children. Some factors associated with a reduced HRQOL include disease activity, age, fatigue, gender, psychological variables, and associated symptoms. Going forward, HRQOL should be considered by practitioners when caring for pediatric IBD patients in a clinical setting as it can help improve patient care. More studies need to be conducted to further explore HRQOL in pediatric patients. This can help implement early psychosocial interventions in children to reduce the disease burden.

Transanal ileal pouch anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis in children and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The incidence of pediatric onset ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasing, with increasing rate of children eventually requiring surgical treatment. Total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is the preferred surgical treatment. Although transanal IPAA (ta-IPAA) is becoming widely accepted for adult UC patients, data regarding this procedure in children are scarce. Nevertheless, some adult publications also include patients under 18years old. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize surgical and functional outcomes following ta-IPAA, and extract conclusion regarding pediatric UC patients. PubMed, Cochrane Library databases, Embase, Web of science and Google Scholar databases were searched, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [PRISMA] guidelines. The final search was updated in April 2022. Four comparative cohorts (n = 868) and 11 non-comparative case series (n = 241) were included. Six reports included children. Anastomotic leak, complications, operative time, conversion rate, length of stay and functional outcomes were examined. A total of 1103 patients, ranging 9-79years were included in this review. We found no difference in risk for anastomotic leak (OR 1.36, 95% CI 0.46-4.06), minor and major complications (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.48-1.76 and OR 0.78 95% CI 0.36-1.69, respectively) comparing ta-IPAA to transabdominal IPAA. Short- and long-term follow-up showed satisfying functional outcomes and quality of life. Our review suggests that ta-IPAA is not inferior to transabdominal IPAA. Implementation of this method in children is technically feasible due to familiarity with the dissection plane. Long-term functional outcomes and quality of life are paramount in the pediatric population and should be particularly investigated. Multicenter prospective studies are required to investigate pediatric UC patients undergoing ta-IPAA.

CMV colitis in children: Single-center experience

CMV colitis in children: Single-center experience

Vaccination Against Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Incident Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a National Cohort of Privately Insured Children.

Infection is believed to be a potential trigger for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Whether vaccination against childhood infections including measles, mumps, and rubella may reduce risk of IBD is uncertain. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using de-identified claims data from a national private payer (Optum Clinformatics Data Mart). Eligible infants were born between 2001 and 2018 and were continuously enrolled with medical and pharmacy coverage from birth for at least 2 years (n = 1 365 447). Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination or MMR is administered beginning at 12 months of age. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to compare time with incident disease in children by category of vaccination, after adjustment for sex, birth year, region of country, history of allergy to vaccines, and seizure history. The incidence of early pediatric IBD increased between 2001 and 2018. Ten percent (n = 141 230) of infants did not receive MMR, and 90% (n = 1 224 125) received at least 1 dose of MMR. There were 334 cases of IBD, 219 cases of Crohn's disease, and 164 cases of ulcerative colitis. Children who had received at least 1 dose of MMR had lower risk for IBD than children who did not (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-0.85). These associations did not change after further adjustment for childhood comorbid conditions, preterm birth, or older siblings affected with IBD. Similar associations were observed for MMR with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, although these did not reach statistical significance. MMR is associated with decreased risk for childhood IBD.

JNK pathway-associated phosphatase illustrates low expression and negative correlations with inflammation, disease activity, and T-helper 17 cells in inflammatory bowel disease children.

BackgroundC‐Jun N‐terminal kinase pathway‐associated phosphatase (JKAP) modulates the T cell receptor and mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway‐mediated autoimmunity, thus participating in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. This study aimed to explore the clinical implication of JKAP in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) children.MethodsC‐Jun N‐terminal kinase pathway‐associated phosphatase, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐23, interferon‐γ (T‐helper 1 secreted cytokine), and interleukin‐17A (T‐helper 17 secreted cytokine) in serum samples from 140 IBD children (including 60 Crohn's disease (CD) children and 80 ulcerative colitis (UC) children) were detected by ELISA. Meanwhile, JKAP from serum samples of 10 healthy controls (HCs) was also detected by ELISA.ResultsC‐Jun N‐terminal kinase pathway‐associated phosphatase was reduced in CD children (median (interquartile range (IQR)): 51.6 (36.8–69.5) pg/ml) and UC children (median (IQR): 57.5 (43.4–78.5) pg/ml) compared with HCs (median (IQR): 101.8 (70.0–143.2) pg/ml) (both p < 0.05). In CD children, JKAP was negatively correlated with C‐reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.016) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (p = 0.029); while in UC children, JKAP was also negatively correlated with CRP (p = 0.006) and ESR (p = 0.022). Regarding the correlation of JKAP with disease activity, it presented negative correlations with PCDAI (p = 0.001) and PUCAI (p = 0.002). Besides, JKAP was negatively related to TNF‐α (both p < 0.05) but not interleukin‐23 (both p>0.05) in CD and UC children. Additionally, JKAP was not correlated with interferon‐γ in CD or UC children (both p>0.05), while negatively correlated with interleukin‐17A in CD and UC children (both p < 0.05).ConclusionC‐Jun N‐terminal kinase pathway‐associated phosphatase shows low expression and negative correlations with inflammation, disease activity, and T‐helper 17 cells in IBD children.

Quality of life in Malaysian children with inflammatory bowel disease: An understudied population.

Quality of life (QoL) in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is often impaired by underlying disease. We evaluated factors affecting health-related QoL (HRQoL) in Malaysian children with IBD. A cross-sectional study using IMPACT-III questionnaires evaluating HRQoL in children aged 8-17 years with duration of IBD of ≥6months was conducted. IMPACT-III, a validated instrument designed to measure HRQoL in children with IBD, was used. Higher IMPACT-III (maximum=100) score indicates better HRQoL. Impact of socio-demographic and clinical factors of IBD on the HRQoL was evaluated. Paediatric Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) activity indices were used to classify disease severity. A total of 75 children (UC=44, CD=41; mean (SD) age at diagnosis 8.2 (3.5) years) were interviewed at mean age of 12.8 (2.7) years. Mean IMPACT-III score was significantly lower in children with more severe disease (mild: 71.8 (13.6) vs. moderate: 65.5 (10.9) vs. severe: 46.3 (14.5); P< 0.001), history of hospitalisation (yes: 64.0 (14.0) vs. none: 74.1 (12.2), P= 0.034) and a higher number of admissions (r= -0.352, P= 0.041) in preceding 6months. Diagnosis at a younger age (r= -0.31, P= 0.007) and a longer duration of disease (r=0.286, P= 0.013) was associated with higher score. A higher weight-for-age (r= 0.261, P= 0.023) or body mass index-for-age z-score (r= 0.235, P= 0.042) was correlated with a better body image domain score, respectively. In Malaysian children with IBD, HRQoL was adversely affected by a more severe disease. Better control of disease activity and maintaining long-term remission are important to improve the HRQoL in childhood IBD.

Real-life experience of infliximab biosimilar in pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease: data from the Sicilian Network for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

To provide data on the use of infliximab biosimilars (IFX-BioS) in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A multicenter, observational, retrospective study was performed among the cohort of the Sicilian Network for IBD. All consecutive IBD children who had at least completed the induction with IFX-BioS from its introduction in Sicily to January 2021 were enrolled. Clinical remission at weeks 14 and 52, treatment persistence, and adverse events were the study outcomes. Eighty-seven patients [Crohn's disease (CD): 57.5% and ulcerative colitis (UC): 42.5%] were included: 75 (86.2%) were antitumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF-α) agent naïve, while three (3.45%) were switched from the originator to IFX-BioS. Twenty (23%) patients were multiply switched from the biosimilar CT-P13 to SB2 or GP1111 or vice versa. The median follow-up time was 15 months. Clinical remission was achieved by 55.2 and 65.5% of patients at weeks 14 and 52, respectively, with no differences between CD and UC. Dose escalation was needed in 8.0 and 35.7% of patients during induction and maintenance, respectively. Nine adverse events occurred (incidence rate: 6.13/100 person-year). Treatment persistence was 90.8% at 1 year and 75.7% at 2 years (patients on IFX-BioS at 2 years, n = 28). The risk of treatment discontinuation was higher in patients with extraintestinal manifestations ( P = 0.018) and in those who were nonnaïve to anti-TNF-α ( P = 0.027). This is the largest cohort of pediatric IBD patients treated with IFX-BioS. Real-life data show that IFX-BioS is efficacious in IBD children, with high percentages of treatment persistence and a low incidence of nonserious adverse events.

Lactoferrin for iron-deficiency anemia in children with inflammatory bowel disease: a clinical trial

BackgroundIron-deficiency anemia (IDA) is common in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, oral iron supplements are commonly associated with poor compliance due to gastrointestinal side effects. We compared the effect of lactoferrin versus oral ferrous sulfate for the treatment of IDA in children with IBD.MethodsNinety-two IBD children with IDA were included but only 80 children completed the study and they were randomized into two groups: ferrous sulfate group (n = 40) who received ferrous sulfate 6 mg/kg/day for 3 months and lactoferrin group (n = 40) who received lactoferrin 100 mg/day for 3 months. Complete blood count, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation (TS), serum ferritin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and hepcidin 25 were measured before and after the treatment.ResultsHemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume, serum iron, TS, and serum ferritin significantly increased, while TIBC decreased significantly after the administration of either ferrous sulfate or lactoferrin compared to their baseline data. In addition, lactoferrin significantly increased Hb, serum iron, TS, and serum ferritin compared to ferrous sulfate. Moreover, lactoferrin significantly decreased IL-6 and hepcidin levels.ConclusionLactoferrin is a promising effective treatment with fewer side effects than oral elemental iron in children with IBD and IDA.Clinical trial registrationThe study was registered at www.pactr.org (PACTR202002763901803).ImpactIron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is treated with oral iron therapy; however, oral iron supplements are commonly associated with poor compliance due to gastrointestinal side effects.To the best of our knowledge, our study was the first in pediatrics that compared the effect of lactoferrin versus oral ferrous sulfate as an iron supplement for the treatment of IDA in children with IBD.We found that lactoferrin is a promising effective treatment with fewer side effects than oral elemental iron in children with IBD and IDA.

Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy of Infliximab in the Treatment of Steroid-Refractory Ulcerative Colitis in Children

Background: Incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) in children has increased worldwide. Objectives: In the current study, we summarized our clinical experience using infliximab (IFX) in the treatment of children with steroid-refractory UC. Methods: The clinical data of 9 steroid-refractory UC patients with average age of 8 years who were treated with IFX in our hospital were analyzed. Results: At the end of the induction period, 6 achieved a clinically significant response. Of the 6 children, 4 had mucosal healing and 2 had endoscopic remission. At week 30, among the 6 children who achieved a clinically significant response, 3 had persistent clinical remission and mucosal healing, 1 achieved mucosal healing from endoscopic remission, 1 had mild disease, and the other child had not reached 30 weeks of treatment as of this writing. At week 54, 6 of 9 children achieved clinical remission and 5 had mucosal healing. The hemoglobin concentration in the children who achieved a clinically significant response was higher than pre-treatment and the inflammation markers were lower than pre-treatment. During IFX treatment, five children had a loss of response, three had a primary non-response, and two had a secondary non-response. The latter children achieved clinical remission with optimized treatment. Conclusions: IFX is a salvage treatment option for children with moderate-to-severe steroid-refractory UC. The course of treatment and the timing of drug withdrawal warrants further study.

Clinical Management of Appendicitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children with COVID-19

: The novel coronavirus that swept the world into a pandemic in 2019 has affected many aspects of health care. COVID-19 has infected about 263 million people across the globe and led to the death of 5.2 million people. Its impact on various organs is still vague and requires further research. The increase in hospital visits and administrations has accordingly increased exposure and risk of obtaining the coronavirus. Patients previously hospitalized and being treated with immunosuppressants tend to be very susceptible to serious respiratory infections from the novel virus. Amongst the diseases that require hospitalization are ulcerative colitis and appendicitis. Hospitalization from such diseases inevitably increases the risk and exposure to COVID -19 infection. This study analyzed the management and procedures taken in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and appendicitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, the effects of the pandemic on the pediatric ward and admitted children were also discussed and compared.

Impact of Fecal Calprotectin Measurement for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children with Alarm Symptoms

Impact of Fecal Calprotectin Measurement for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children with Alarm Symptoms