Jornal de Imunologia Clínica e Celular
Acesso livre

Abstrato

Impact of Therapeutic Strategies on Growth in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Amit Assa and Raanan Shamir

Growth retardation is a common complication of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which may have long term effects on final adult height and carries significant social and psychological implications. Etiology may be multifactorial including undernutrition, metabolic dysregulation, inflammatory impact on hormonal growth axis and the effect of drugs such as glucocorticoids. Control of disease activity and minimizing the need for corticosteroid therapy are necessary measures in order to facilitate normal growth. However, in many cases these strategies are not sufficient. Currently, there is inconsistent evidence regarding the efficacy of available therapeutic agents to induce long-term effect on growth. The new era of biologic therapies which carries a greater potential to achieve mucosal healing, holds promise for better growth even in children with severe growth impairment. It becomes apparent that prompt recognition of growth impairment combined with aggressive tailored therapeutic approach may offer the best chance for catch-up growth. This review will discuss the definition, prevalence and mechanism of growth retardation in children with IBD and highlight the specific benefits of current therapeutic strategies.