Difference between early onset and late-onset pediatric ulcerative colitis

Characteristics of Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis at Diagnosis in Korea: Results From a Multicenter, Registry-Based, Inception Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the characteristics of pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) at diagnosis in Korea.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, registry-based, inception cohort study conducted in Korea between 2021 and 2023. Children and adolescents newly diagnosed with UC < 18 years were included. Baseline clinicodemographics, results from laboratory, endoscopic exams, and Paris classification factors were collected, and associations between factors at diagnosis were investigated.

RESULTS

A total 205 patients with UC were included. Male-to-female ratio was 1.59:1, and the median age at diagnosis was 14.7 years (interquartile range 11.9-16.2). Disease extent of E1 comprised 12.2% (25/205), E2 24.9% (51/205), E3 11.2% (23/205), and E4 51.7% (106/205) of the patients. S1 comprised 13.7% (28/205) of the patients. The proportion of patients with a disease severity of S1 was significantly higher in patients with E4 compared to the other groups (E1: 0% vs. E2: 2% vs. E3: 0% vs. E4: 24.5%, P < 0.001). Significant differences between disease extent groups were also observed in Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (median 25 vs. 35 vs. 40 vs. 45, respectively, P < 0.001), hemoglobin (median 13.5 vs. 13.2 vs. 11.6 vs. 11.4 g/dL, respectively, P < 0.001), platelet count (median 301 vs. 324 vs. 372 vs. 377 × 10³/μL, respectively, P = 0.001), C-reactive protein (median 0.05 vs. 0.10 vs. 0.17 vs. 0.38 mg/dL, respectively, P < 0.001), and Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity (median 4 vs. 4 vs. 4 vs. 5, respectively, P = 0.006). No significant differences were observed in factors between groups divided according to sex and diagnosis age.

CONCLUSION

This study represents the largest multicenter pediatric inflammatory bowel disease cohort in Korea. Disease severity was associated with disease extent in pediatric patients with UC at diagnosis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0008723.

The Role of Noninvasive Surrogates of Inflammation in Monitoring Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: The Old and the New

Effectiveness of limited available therapies for pediatric inflammatory bowel disease has reached stagnation. Previous non-invasive monitoring strategies have relied upon cumbersome tools to evaluate clinical symptoms and biochemical markers that do not reflect endoscopic activity or respond quickly to treatments. Novel, patient-centric, and highly accurate, monitoring strategies with a focus on intestinal ultrasound for a direct, precise monitoring of activity to achieve disease modification are now possible. Ultimately, research on the optimal tight control monitoring strategies, individualized to each pediatric inflammatory bowel disease patient, are in development and offer a hope to potential therapeutic ceiling breakthrough on the horizon.

Systematic Review of Diagnostic Delay for Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex inflammatory condition of the gut. Diagnosing IBD involves distinct longitudinal periods from first symptoms to primary care assessment, tertiary care referral, and then endoscopic confirmation. The term diagnostic delay (DD) is used if these periods are prolonged. The aim of this review was to amalgamate DD data for children with IBD, and identify factors associated with prolonged DD.

METHODS

Six health literature databases were searched (December 2020). Inclusion criteria for papers were children diagnosed with IBD before the age of 18 years, DD central tendency data, and to report a central tendency of their DD data, cohort >10 children. For analysis, all data were weighted by cohort sample size.

RESULTS

Searches identified 236 papers, and 26 were included in the final analysis with a pooled cohort of 7030 children. The overall DD periods were IBD 4.5 months [Interquartile range (IQR) 3.6-8.7 months], Crohn disease (CD) 5 months (IQR 4-7.2 months), and ulcerative colitis/indeterminate colitis/IBD-unclassified (UC/IC/IBDU) 3 months (IQR 2.2-4.9 months). The difference between subtypes was significant ( P < 0.001), with shorter DD for UC/IC/IBDU than CD ( P < 0.001) and IBD ( P < 0.001). DD periods were longer for CD than IBD ( P < 0.001). DD decreased over time for IBD ( P < 0.001) and UC ( P < 0.001) but the trend suggested an increase for CD ( P 0.069).

CONCLUSIONS

This data can be used to benchmark DD for children with IBD. Individual centers could determine whether improvements to awareness or infrastructure may reduce DD in order to minimize the risk of poor outcomes.

Diagnostic Delay in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

Delays in diagnosing pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are common, but the extent of this delay remains unclear due to variations in reported time-periods between studies. The objectives of this systematic review were to examine the extent of diagnostic delay in pediatric IBD and examine any association between specific characteristics and length of diagnostic delay.

METHODS

We identified studies from several medical bibliographical databases (EMBASE, Medline and CINAHL) from their inception to April 2021. Studies examining pediatric cohorts (< 18 years old) defined as having a diagnosis of Crohn's Disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), or by the more general definition of IBD, and reporting a median time-period between the onset of symptoms and a final diagnosis (diagnostic delay) were included. Two reviewers selected each study, extracted data, and assessed their quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Narrative synthesis was then used to examine the extent of overall diagnostic delay and delay associated with specific sample characteristics.

RESULTS

Of the 10,119 studies initially identified, 24 were included in the review. The overall median diagnostic delay range was 2-10.4 months for IBD, 2.0-18.0 months for UC and 4.0-24.0 months for CD. However, for approximately two thirds of UC (68.8%) and CD (66.7%) studies, delay ranged from 2.0-3.0 and 4.0-6.3 months, respectively. A longer delay was significantly associated with several sample characteristics; however, these were too infrequently examined to draw robust conclusion on their role.

CONCLUSION

Children continue to wait several months for a final diagnosis of IBD, and those with CD experience longer delay than those with UC. The role of specific characteristics on delay needs further exploration.

Phenotypic Pattern of Early Versus Later-Onset Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease in a Eurasian Country

OBJECTIVES

It is not clear whether the characteristics of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) differ between Eastern and Western countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of PIBD in Turkey, according to the age at diagnosis.

METHODS

The data of 176 children with IBD who were followed in our center were analyzed. Patients were divided into early (EO-IBD, onset at 2 to &lt;10 years) and later-onset (LO-IBD, 10 to ≤17 years) IBD according to the age at diagnosis. Patients' data with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) were compared.

RESULTS

Of 176 patients, 47 (26.7%) were diagnosed with EO-IBD. Patients with early-onset ulcerative colitis (EO-UC) had the highest rate of family history of IBD (17.6%). Pancolitis was the most common form of UC regardless of the age at onset. The rate of moderate-severe disease activity in later-onset UC (62.5%) was higher than in EO-UC (37.5%). A higher rate of extraintestinal manifestations was observed in EO-IBD patients, particularly in EO-UC (38.2%) than in LO-IBD patients. Patients with early-onset CD (EO-CD) had predominantly colonic involvement and nonstricturing, nonpenetrating disease behavior. The rate of perianal disease in patients with later-onset CD (LO-CD) (64.5%) was noticeably higher than those with EO-CD (23%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that patients with EO-UC represented a distinct phenotype with a mild disease activity, high rate of extraintestinal symptoms, and a high proportion of family history. The analysis of our IBD cohort also demonstrated remarkably high rate of perianal disease, particularly in patients with LO-CD.

Methylation of RUNX3 Promoter 2 in the Whole Blood of Children with Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) results from a complex interplay between the environment, gut microbiota, host genetics, and immunity. Runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) regulates Th1/Th2 balance and, thus, the synthesis of cytokines and inflammation. We aimed to analyze the dependence of RUNX3 promoter 2 (P2) methylation level on: age, sex, body mass index (BMI), C-reactive protein (CRP), serum albumin, disease duration, Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI), the Paris classification, and exposure to medications. This multicenter, cross-sectional study recruited hospitalized children with UC. Methylation of RUNX3 P2 was measured with methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes in the whole blood DNA. Sixty-four children were enrolled, with a mean age of 14.5 ± 2.8 years. Half of them were female (51.6%), and the average BMI Z-score was −0.44 ± 1.14. The mean methylation of RUNX3 P2 was 54.1 ± 13.3%. The methylation level of RUNX3 P2 did not correlate with age, sex, nutritional status, CRP, albumin, PUCAI, or the extent of colitis (Paris E1–E4). RUNX3 P2 methylation did not differ between patients recruited within two and a half months of diagnosis and children who had UC for at least a year. Current or past exposure to biologics, immunosuppressants, or steroids was not associated with RUNX3 P2 methylation. Methylation of RUNX3 promoter 2 in whole blood DNA does not seem to be associated with the characteristics of UC in children.

Predicting Outcomes in Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis for Management Optimization: Systematic Review and Consensus Statements From the Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Ahead Program

BACKGROUND & AIMS

A better understanding of prognostic factors in ulcerative colitis (UC) could improve patient management and reduce complications. We aimed to identify evidence-based predictors for outcomes in pediatric UC, which may be used to optimize treatment algorithms.

METHODS

Potential outcomes worthy of prediction in UC were determined by surveying 202 experts in pediatric UC. A systematic review of the literature, with selected meta-analysis, was performed to identify studies that investigated predictors for these outcomes. Multiple national and international meetings were held to reach consensus on evidence-based statements.

RESULTS

Consensus was reached on 31 statements regarding predictors of colectomy, acute severe colitis (ASC), chronically active pediatric UC, cancer and mortality. At diagnosis, disease extent (6 studies, N = 627; P = .035), Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index score (4 studies, n = 318; P < .001), hemoglobin, hematocrit, and albumin may predict colectomy. In addition, family history of UC (2 studies, n = 557; P = .0004), extraintestinal manifestations (4 studies, n = 526; P = .048), and disease extension over time may predict colectomy, whereas primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) may be protective. Acute severe colitis may be predicted by disease severity at onset and hypoalbuminemia. Higher Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index score and C-reactive protein on days 3 and 5 of hospital admission predict failure of intravenous steroids. Risk factors for malignancy included concomitant diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis, longstanding colitis (>10 years), male sex, and younger age at diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

These evidence-based consensus statements offer predictions to be considered for a personalized medicine approach in treating pediatric UC.

Study of disease phenotype and its association with prognosis of paediatric inflammatory bowel disease in China

Background

To investigate the unique features of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children, we wanted to identify whether there might be a strong correlation between the disease phenotype and its prognosis at various ages in paediatric patients.

Methods

We collected data from patients diagnosed with IBD (ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD)) from 2002 to 2016. The diagnosis was made according to the Porto criteria and Paris Classification. Patient characteristics, clinical manifestations and treatments were collected. Risk factors for surgery, mortality and relapse were analysed by Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

Of the 143 patients, 113 had CD, and 30 had UC; there were 89 males and 54 females with a median age of 9 years (y). Thirteen patients in the 0–2 y group were identified as having mutations in IL-10 receptor A, and this mutation was significantly more common in this age group than in 3–9 and 10–16 y patients. The risk factor for surgery was the B3 phenotype; risk factors for death were age 0–2 y and B3 phenotype; 0–2 y, B3 phenotype and steroid dependency were risk factors for early relapse.

Conclusions

Clinical manifestations of the onset of IBD in infants and toddlers were extensive and aggressive and were closely associated with early relapse and death. It is of particular interest that some of these patients developed IBD due to monogenic disorders; thus, introduction of genetic testing is essential for these patients.

Enhanced Contribution of HLA in Pediatric Onset Ulcerative Colitis

Background

The genetic contributions to pediatric onset ulcerative colitis (UC), characterized by severe disease and extensive colonic involvement, are largely unknown. In adult onset UC, Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) has identified numerous loci, most of which have a modest susceptibility risk (OR 0.84-1.14), with the exception of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region on Chromosome 6 (OR 3.59).

Method

To study the genetic contribution to exclusive pediatric onset UC, a GWAS was performed on 466 cases with 2099 healthy controls using UK Biobank array. SNP2HLA was used to impute classical HLA alleles and their corresponding amino acids, and the results are compared with adult onset UC.

Results

HLA explained the almost entire association signal, dominated with 191 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (p = 5 x 10-8 to 5 x 10-10). Although very small effects, established SNPs in adult onset UC loci had similar direction and magnitude in pediatric onset UC. SNP2HLA imputation identified HLA-DRB1*0103 (odds ratio [OR] = 6.941, p = 1.92*10-13) as the most significant association for pediatric UC compared with adult onset UC (OR = 3.59). Further conditioning showed independent effects for HLA-DRB1*1301 (OR = 2.25, p = 7.92*10-9) and another SNP rs17188113 (OR = 0.48, p = 7.56*10-9). Two HLA-DRB1 causal alleles are shared with adult onset UC, while at least 2 signals are unique to pediatric UC. Subsequent stratified analyses indicated that HLA-DRB1*0103 has stronger association for extensive disease (E4: OR = 8.28, p = 4.66x10-10) and female gender (OR = 8.85, p = 4.82x10-13).

Conclusion

In pediatric onset UC, the HLA explains almost the entire genetic associations. In addition, the HLA association is approximately twice as strong in pediatric UC compared with adults, due to a combination of novel and shared effects. We speculate the paramount importance of antigenic stimulation either by infectious or noninfectious stimuli as a causal event in pediatric UC onset.