Long-term Outcomes of Perianal Fistulas in Pediatric Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 30% of Crohn's disease-related perianal fistulas heal in the adult population with conventional medical and surgical interventions. This healing rate remains unknown in pediatric patients. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the healing rate of pediatric perianal Crohn's fistulas and identify factors associated with healing. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: A quaternary referral center. PATIENTS: Patients aged <18 years with a Crohn's perianal fistula, seen between January 1, 1991, and August 1, 2021, were included in the study. INTERVENTIONS: Multivariable logistic regression to identify factors independently associated with perianal fistula healing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Healing of Crohn's perianal fistula at the date of last clinical encounter, defined as the clinical note reporting a healed fistula or normal perianal examination. RESULTS: A total of 91 patients aged <18 years with a Crohn's disease-related perianal fistula were identified (59% female, 76% white). The mean (SD) age at Crohn's diagnosis was 12 (±4) years. The mean follow-up after Crohn's diagnosis was 10 (±7) years. Overall, 89% of patients had a perianal fistula, 2% had an anovaginal fistula, and 10% had an ileal pouch-associated fistula. Patients underwent a median (interquartile range) of 2 (1-5) operations. A seton was placed in 60% of patients, 47% underwent abscess drainage, and 44% underwent fistulotomy or fistulectomy. Fistula healing occurred in 71% of patients over a median of 1.3 (0.4-2.5) years. Seven patients (7%) underwent proctectomy, and 3 (3%) underwent ileal pouch excision. After multivariable adjustment, younger age at diagnosis of perianal fistula was associated with an increased likelihood of healing (OR 0.56 for each increased year; 95% CI, 0.34-0.92). LIMITATIONS: Retrospective, single institution. CONCLUSIONS: Over two-thirds of fistulas heal in pediatric Crohn's disease patients with conventional surgical and medical intervention. Younger age at fistula development is associated with an increased likelihood of healing. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/C185 . RESULTADOS A LARGO PLAZO DE LAS FSTULAS PERIANALES EN LA ENFERMEDAD DE CROHN EN PACIENTES PEDITRICOS: ANTECEDENTES:Aproximadamente el 30% de las fístulas perianales relacionadas con la enfermedad de Crohn se curan en la población adulta con intervenciones médicas y quirúrgicas convencionales. Esta tasa de curación sigue siendo desconocida en pacientes pediátricos.OBJETIVO:Determinar la tasa de curación de las fístulas de Crohn perianales en población pediátrica e identificar los factores asociados con la curación.DISEÑO:Serie de casos retrospectiva.ESCENARIO:Un centro de referencia cuaternario.PACIENTES:Pacientes menores de 18 años con fístula(s) perianal(es) por enfermedad de Crohn, atendidos entre el 1 de enero de 1991 y el 1 de agosto de 2021.INTERVENCIONES:Regresión logística multivariable para identificar factores asociados de forma independiente con la cicatrización de la fístula perianal.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:Curación de la fístula perianal de Crohn en la fecha del último encuentro clínico, definida como la nota clínica que informa una fístula curada o un examen perianal normal.RESULTADOS:Se identificó un total de 91 pacientes <18 años de edad con una fístula perianal relacionada con la enfermedad de Crohn (59% mujeres, 76% blancos). La edad media (DE) al diagnóstico de Crohn fue de 12 (±4) años. El seguimiento medio tras el diagnóstico de Crohn fue de 10 (±7) años. En general, el 89 % de los pacientes tenía fístula perianal, el 2 % tenía fístula anovaginal y el 10 % de los pacientes tenía fístula asociada a reservorio ileal. Los pacientes fueron sometidos a una mediana (RIC) de 2 (1-5) operaciones. En el 60% de los pacientes se colocó sedal, en el 47% se drenó el absceso y en el 44% se realizó fistulotomía o fistulectomía. La curación de la fístula se produjo en el 71% de los pacientes durante una mediana de 1,3 (0,4-2,5) años. Siete pacientes (7%) se sometieron a proctectomía y 3 (3%) se sometieron a escisión del reservorio ileal. Después del ajuste multivariable, la edad más joven en el momento del diagnóstico de la fístula perianal se asoció con una mayor probabilidad de curación (OR 0,56 por cada año de aumento, IC del 95%, 0,34-0,92).LIMITACIONES:Retrospectivo, institución única.CONCLUSIONES:Más de dos tercios de las fístulas se curan en pacientes pediátricos con enfermedad de Crohn con intervención médica y quirúrgica convencional. Una edad más joven en el momento del desarrollo de la fístula se asocia con una mayor probabilidad de curación. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/C185 . (Traducción--Dr. Felipe Bellolio ).

The role of the transition clinic from pediatric to adult inflammatory bowel disease care.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The transition of patients from pediatric to adult centered care represents not only the means to transfer medical care to a group of providers who specialize in adult care but also is part of the process of the transfer of healthcare responsibility from the family to a patient. The intent of this review is to provide a summary of some of the important studies published in the past 2 years that advance this knowledge. RECENT FINDINGS: Progress has been made in the recognition of the process of transition, including developing tools to assess transition readiness, improving routes of communication along with patient education. Other studies provided information on patients' preferences for information seeking, types of family interactions, and factors that improved transition success. SUMMARY: In general, reported clinics and programs did demonstrate improvements in adherence, clinic retention, and even quality of life. Further studies should focus on clinical outcomes of transition programs and risk assessment for transitioning patients.

Sirtuin-6 preserves R-spondin-1 expression and increases resistance of intestinal epithelium to injury in mice.

Sirtuin-6 (Sirt6) is a critical epigenetic regulator, but its function in the gut is unknown. Here, we studied the role of intestinal epithelial Sirt6 in colitis-associated intestinal epithelial injury. We found that Sirt6, which is predominantly expressed in epithelial cells in intestinal crypts, is decreased in colitis in both mice and humans. Colitis-derived inflammatory mediators including interferon-γ and reactive oxygen species strongly inhibited Sirt6 protein expression in young adult mouse colonocyte (YAMC) cells. The susceptibility of the cells to injurious insults was increased after knockdown of Sirt6 expression. In contrast, YAMC cells with Sirt6 overexpression exhibited more resistance to injurious insult. Furthermore, intestinal epithelial-specific Sirt6 (Sirt6IEC-KO) knockout mice exhibited greater susceptibility to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. RNA sequencing transcriptome analysis revealed that inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α suppressed expression of R-spondin-1 (Rspo1, a critical growth factor for intestinal epithelial cells) in Sirt6-silenced YAMC cells in vitro. In addition, lipopolysaccharide was found to inhibit colonic Rspo1 expression in Sirt6IEC-KO mice but not their control littermates. Furthermore, Sirt6IEC-KO mice with DSS-induced colitis also exhibited in a significant decrease in Rspo1 expression in colons. In vitro, knockdown of Rspo1 attenuated the effect of ectopic expression of Sirt6 on protection of YAMC cells against cell death challenges. In conclusion, Sirt6 plays an important role in protecting intestinal epithelial cells against inflammatory injury in a mechanism associated with preserving Rspo1 levels in the cells.

Developing a Reproducible Radiomics Model for Diagnosis of Active Crohn's Disease on CT Enterography Across Annotation Variations and Acquisition Differences.

To systematically identify radiomics features on CT enterography (CTE) scans which can accurately diagnose active Crohn's disease across multiple sources of variation. Retrospective study of CTE scans curated between 2013 and 2015, comprising 164 subjects (65 male, 99 female; all patients were over the age of 18) with endoscopic confirmation for the presence or absence of active Crohn's disease. All patients had three distinct sets of scans available (full and reduced dose, where the latter had been reconstructed via two different methods), acquired on a single scanner at a single institution. Radiomics descriptors from annotated terminal ileum regions were individually and systematically evaluated for resilience to different imaging variations (changes in dose/reconstruction, batch effects, and simulated annotation differences) via multiple reproducibility measures. Multiple radiomics models (by accounting for each source of variation) were evaluated in terms of classifier area under the ROC curve (AUC) for identifying patients with active Crohn's disease, across separate discovery and hold-out validation cohorts. Radiomics descriptors selected based on resiliency to multiple sources of imaging variation yielded the highest overall classification performance in the discovery cohort (AUC = 0.79 ± 0.04) which also best generalized in hold-out validation (AUC = 0.81). Performance was maintained across multiple doses and reconstructions while also being significantly better (p < 0.001) than non-resilient descriptors or descriptors only resilient to a single source of variation. Radiomics features can accurately diagnose active Crohn's disease on CTE scans across multiple sources of imaging variation via systematic analysis of reproducibility measures. Clinical utility and translatability of radiomics features for diagnosis and characterization of Crohn's disease on CTE scans will be contingent on their reproducibility across multiple types and sources of imaging variation.

A Bi-Institutional Study of Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Manifestations in Children With PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome.

Background and Aims: PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS) confers a high risk of specific cancers and is the most common genetic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Gastrointestinal (GI) phenotypes in PHTS are poorly characterized in children. Thus, we aimed to characterize the GI and hepatic manifestations in children with PHTS and to investigate genotype-phenotype associations. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of prospectively accrued children with PHTS at 2 tertiary-care centers. Wilcoxon rank-sum, Chi-squared, and Fisher's exact tests and Firth's logistic regression were utilized to explore associations between variables. Results: This series included 80 children with disease-causing PTEN variants. Common GI manifestations included constipation in 41 (51%), feeding issues in 31 (39%), and polyps in 22 (28%) children. The polyps were of mixed histologic types. Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders were observed in 5 (6%) children. Crohn's disease, celiac disease, and protein-losing enteropathy were observed once each. Eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders were observed exclusively in patients without ASD (P = .052). Nonsense PTEN variants were enriched in those with polyps (P = .029). Missense PTEN variants (OR 2.9, P = .034) and upper GI polyps (OR 4.4, P = .018) were associated with increased odds of constipation. Conclusion: Constipation and feeding issues are common in children with PHTS. Polyps are more prevalent in children with PHTS than previously described and associated with nonsense PTEN variants. Children without ASD represent a distinct patient subset with a predisposition to eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders and possibly upper GI polyps. Endoscopic evaluation should continue to be performed in symptomatic children with PHTS, with consideration of closer follow-up in those without ASD.

Radiomics to Detect Inflammation and Fibrosis on Magnetic Resonance Enterography in Stricturing Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Non-invasive cross-sectional imaging via magnetic resonance enterography [MRE] offers excellent accuracy for the diagnosis of stricturing complications in Crohn's disease [CD] but is limited in determining the degrees of fibrosis and inflammation within a stricture. We developed and validated a radiomics-based machine-learning model for separately characterizing the degree of histopathological inflammation and fibrosis in CD strictures and compared it to centrally read visual radiologist scoring of MRE. METHODS: This single-centre, cross-sectional study included 51 CD patients [n = 34 for discovery; n = 17 for validation] with terminal ileal strictures confirmed on diagnostic MRE within 15 weeks of resection. Histopathological specimens were scored for inflammation and fibrosis and spatially linked with corresponding pre-surgical MRE sequences. Annotated stricture regions on MRE were scored visually by radiologists as well as underwent 3D radiomics-based machine learning analysis; both were evaluated against histopathology. RESULTS: Two distinct sets of radiomic features capturing textural heterogeneity within strictures were linked with each of severe inflammation or severe fibrosis across both the discovery (area under the curve [AUC = 0.69, 0.83] and validation [AUC = 0.67, 0.78] cohorts. Radiologist visual scoring had an AUC = 0.67 for identifying severe inflammation and AUC = 0.35 for severe fibrosis. Use of combined radiomics and radiologist scoring robustly augmented identification of severe inflammation [AUC = 0.79] and modestly improved assessment of severe fibrosis [AUC = 0.79 for severe fibrosis] over individual approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Radiomic features of CD strictures on MRE can accurately identify severe histopathological inflammation and severe histopathological fibrosis, as well as augment performance of the radiologist visual scoring in stricture characterization.

Individuals with JAK1 variants are affected by syndromic features encompassing autoimmunity, atopy, colitis, and dermatitis.

Inborn errors of immunity lead to autoimmunity, inflammation, allergy, infection, and/or malignancy. Disease-causing JAK1 gain-of-function (GoF) mutations are considered exceedingly rare and have been identified in only four families. Here, we use forward and reverse genetics to identify 59 individuals harboring one of four heterozygous JAK1 variants. In vitro and ex vivo analysis of these variants revealed hyperactive baseline and cytokine-induced STAT phosphorylation and interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) levels compared with wild-type JAK1. A systematic review of electronic health records from the BioME Biobank revealed increased likelihood of clinical presentation with autoimmunity, atopy, colitis, and/or dermatitis in JAK1 variant-positive individuals. Finally, treatment of one affected patient with severe atopic dermatitis using the JAK1/JAK2-selective inhibitor, baricitinib, resulted in clinically significant improvement. These findings suggest that individually rare JAK1 GoF variants may underlie an emerging syndrome with more common presentations of autoimmune and inflammatory disease (JAACD syndrome). More broadly, individuals who present with such conditions may benefit from genetic testing for the presence of JAK1 GoF variants.

A Phase I Study of Ex Vivo Expanded Allogeneic Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Pediatric Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease is notoriously difficult to treat. Recent studies of mesenchymal stem cells have demonstrated safety and efficacy of this novel treatment approach. However, no studies to date have included pediatric patients. We sought to determine safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells for pediatric perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease. METHODS: This was a phase I clinical trial to evaluate safety and feasibility of mesenchymal stem cells in pediatric perianal Crohn's patients 13 to 17 years of age. At the time of an exam under anesthesia, following curettage of the fistula tract and closure of the internal opening with absorbable suture, 75 million mesenchymal stem cells were administered with a 22-gauge needle. This was repeated at 3 months if complete clinical and radiographic healing were not achieved. Adverse and serious adverse events at were measured at postprocedure day 1, week 2, week 6, month 3, month 6, and month 12. Clinical healing, radiographic healing per magnetic resonance imaging, and patient-reported outcomes were measured at the same time points. RESULTS: Seven pediatric patients were enrolled and treated (6 male; median age of 16.7 years). There were no adverse or serious adverse events related to the investigational product or injection procedure. At 6 months, 83% had complete clinical and radiographic healing. The perianal Crohn's Disease Activity Index, Wexner incontinence score, and Van Assche score had all decreased at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells offer a safe, and likely effective, treatment approach for pediatric perianal fistulizing Crohn's disease.

Integrating Radiomics With Clinicoradiological Scoring Can Predict High-Risk Patients Who Need Surgery in Crohn's Disease: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Early identification of Crohn's disease (CD) patients at risk for complications could enable targeted surgical referral, but routine magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) has not been definitively correlated with need for surgery. Our objective was to identify computer-extracted image (radiomic) features from MRE associated with risk of surgery in CD and combine them with clinical and radiological assessments to predict time to intervention. METHODS: This was a retrospective single-center pilot study of CD patients who had an MRE within 3 months prior to initiating medical therapy. Radiomic features were extracted from annotated terminal ileum regions on MRE and combined with clinical variables and radiological assessment (via Simplified Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity scoring for wall thickening, edema, fat stranding, ulcers) in a random forest classifier. The primary endpoint was high- and low-risk groups based on need for surgery within 1 year of MRE. The secondary endpoint was time to surgery after treatment. RESULTS: Eight radiomic features capturing localized texture heterogeneity within the terminal ileum were significantly associated with risk of surgery within 1 year of treatment (P < .05); yielding a discovery cohort area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.67 (n = 50) and validation cohort area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.74 (n = 23). Kaplan-Meier analysis of radiomic features together with clinical variables and Simplified Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity scores yielded the best hazard ratio of 4.13 (P = (7.6 × 10-6) and concordance index of 0.71 in predicting time to surgery after MRE. CONCLUSIONS: Radiomic features on MRE may be associated with risk of surgery in CD, and in combination with clinicoradiological scoring can yield an accurate prognostic model for time to surgery.

Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis Is a Fibrotic Disease and Is Linked with Chronicity of Inflammation.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Intestinal fibrosis has recently been characterised in adult ulcerative colitis and may affect motility, diarrhoea, and the symptom of urgency. We aimed to charactersze the presence of fibrosis in paediatric patients with ulcerative colitis, and its link to severity and chronicity of mucosal inflammation, as well as clinical factors of severity. METHODS: We performed a single-centre cross-sectional study in children ages 1-18 years with ulcerative colitis, undergoing colectomy or proctocolectomy. Tissue cross-sections were derived from proximal, mid, and distal colon and rectum, and inflammation and fibrosis were graded based on previously developed scores. Clinical data were collected prospectively. RESULTS: From 62 patients, 205 intestinal sections were evaluated. Median age at diagnosis was 13 years, 100% had extensive colitis, and all resections were done for refractory disease. The presence, chronicity, and degree of inflammation were linked with the presence of fibrosis. Thickness of the muscularis mucosa was also linked with presence and chronicity of inflammation. The overall submucosal fibrosis burden was associated with prior anti-tumour necrosis factor use. CONCLUSIONS: Paediatric patients with ulcerative colitis exhibit colorectal submucosal fibrosis and muscularis mucosa thickening, which correlate with the presence, chronicity, and degree of mucosal inflammation. Fibrosis should be recognised as a complication of paediatric ulcerative colitis, and ulcerative colitis should be considered a progressive disease.

Computable Phenotype of a Crohn's Disease Natural History Model.

BACKGROUND: Analytic tools to study important clinical issues in complex, chronic diseases such as Crohn's disease (CD) include randomized trials, claims database studies, or small longitudinal epidemiologic cohorts. Using natural language processing (NLP), we sought to define the computable phenotype health state of pediatric and adult CD and develop patient-level longitudinal histories for health outcomes. METHODS: We defined 6 health states for CD using a subjective symptom-based assessment (symptomatic/asymptomatic) and an objective disease state assessment (active/inactive/no testing). Gold standard for the 6 health states was derived using an iterative process during review by our CD experts. We calculated the transition probabilities to estimate the time to transitions between the various health states using nonparametric Kaplan-Meier estimation and a Markov model. Finally, we determined a standard utility measure from clinical patients assigned to different health states. RESULTS: The NLP computable phenotype health state model correctly ascertained the objective test results and symptoms 96% and 85% of the time, respectively, based on a blinded chart evaluation. In our model, >25% of patients who begin as asymptomatic/active transition to symptomatic/active over the following year. For both adult and pediatric CD health states, the utility assessments of a symptomatic/inactive health state closely resembled a symptomatic/active health state. CONCLUSIONS: Our methodology for a computable phenotype health state demonstrates the application of real-world data to define progression and optimal management of a chronic disease such as CD. The application of the model has the potential to lead to a better understanding of the true impact of a therapeutic intervention and can provide long-term cost-effectiveness analyses for a new therapy. HIGHLIGHTS: Using natural language processing, we defined the computable phenotype health state of Crohn's disease and developed patient-level longitudinal histories for health outcomes.Our methodology demonstrates the application of real-world data to define the progression of a chronic disease.The application of the model has the potential to provide better understanding of the true impact of a new therapy.

Nailfold Capillaroscopy as a Biomarker in the Evaluation of Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND: Noninvasive screening and disease monitoring are an unmet need in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) is a validated technique for microvascular surveillance in rheumatologic diseases. NFC uses magnified photography to examine nail bed capillaries called end row loops (ERL). We aimed to identify variations in NFC in pediatric IBD patients and their associations with disease activity. METHODS: Pediatric patients with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) and healthy controls were recruited. NFC was performed on patients with newly diagnosed IBD prior to initiating therapy, patients with established IBD, and controls. ERLs were quantified along with a 3mm distance on 8 nailfolds. Serum biomarker levels of disease activity and symptoms activity indexes were correlated with average ERL density digits on both hands. Statistics were performed using chi-squared, ANOVA, and linear regression. RESULTS: Fifty-one IBD patients and 16 controls were recruited. ERL density was significantly decreased in IBD (Control: 19.2 ERL/3mm vs UC: 15.6 ERL/3mm vs CD: 15.4 ERL/3mm; P < .0001). ERL density was lower in UC patients with lower albumin levels (P = .02, r 2 = 0.29).The change in ERL density over time predicted the change in pediatric CD activity index among CD patients (P = .048, r 2 = 0.58) with treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate ERL density is reduced in IBD compared to controls. Lower albumin levels correlated with lower ERL density in UC. In newly diagnosed CD, ERL density increases over time as disease activity improves with therapy. NFC may be a feasible biomarker of disease activity and utilized for monitoring IBD.

Differences in Biologic Utilization and Surgery Rates in Pediatric and Adult Crohn's Disease: Results From a Large Electronic Medical Record-derived Cohort.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic illness that affects both the pediatric and adult populations with an increasing worldwide prevalence. We aim to identify a large, single-center cohort of patients with CD using natural language processing (NLP) in combination with codified data and extract surgical rates and medication usage from the electronic medical record (EMR). METHODS: Patients with CD were identified from the entire Cleveland Clinic EMR using ICD codes and CD-specific terms identified by NLP to fit a logistic regression model. Cohorts were developed for pediatric-onset (younger than 18 years) and adult-onset (18 years and older) CD. Surgeries were identified using current procedural terminology (CPT) codes and NLP. Crohn's disease-related medications were extracted using physician orders in the EMR. RESULTS: Patients with pediatric-onset (n = 2060) and adult-onset (n = 4973) CD were identified from 2000 to 2017 with a positive predictive value of 98.5%. Rate of CD-related abdominal surgery over time was significantly higher in adult-onset compared with pediatric-onset CD (10-year surgery rate 49.9% vs 37.7%, respectively; P < 0.001). Treatment with biologics was significantly higher in pediatric vs adult-onset CD cohorts (63.6% vs 49.2%; P < 0.001). The overall rate of CD-related abdominal surgery was significantly higher in those who received <6 months of a biologic compared with ≥6 months of a biologic for both cohorts (pediatric 64.1% vs 39.1%, P ≤ 0.001; adult 69.3% vs 56.5%, P ≤ 0.001). Additionally, 60.9% in pediatric-onset CD and 43.5% in adult-onset CD treated with ≥6 months of biologic therapy have not required abdominal surgery. On multivariable analysis, perianal surgery was a significant risk factor for abdominal surgery in both cohorts. CONCLUSION: We used a combination of codified and NLP data to establish the largest, North American, single-center EMR cohort of pediatric- and adult-onset CD patients and determined that biologics are associated with lower rates of surgery over time, potentially altering the natural history of the disease.

Adipokine Resistin Levels at Time of Pediatric Crohn Disease Diagnosis Predict Escalation to Biologic Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophy of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is a hallmark of Crohn disease (CD). The VAT produces a wide range of adipokines, biologically active factors that contribute to metabolic disorders in addition to CD pathogenesis. The study aim was to concomitantly evaluate serum adipokine profiles and VAT volumes as predictors of disease outcomes and treatment course in newly diagnosed pediatric patients with CD. METHODS: Pediatric patients ages 6 to 20 years were enrolled, and their clinical data and anthropometric measurements were obtained. Adipokine levels were measured at 0, 6, and 12 months after CD diagnosis and baseline in control patients (CP). The VAT volumes were measured by magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography imaging within 3 months of diagnosis. RESULTS: One hundred four patients undergoing colonoscopy were prospectively enrolled: 36 diagnosed with CD and 68 CP. The serum adipokine resistin and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 levels were significantly higher in patients with CD at diagnosis than in CP. The VAT volume was similar between CD and CP. Baseline resistin levels at the time of diagnosis in patients with CD who were escalated to biologics was significantly higher than in those not treated using biologic therapy by 12 months (29.8 ng/mL vs 13.8 ng/mL; P = 0.004). A resistin level of ≥29.8 ng/mL at the time of diagnosis predicted escalation to biologic therapy in the first year after diagnosis with a specificity of 95% (sensitivity = 53%; area under the curve = 0.82; P = 0.015 for model with log-scale). There was a significantly greater reduction in resistin (P = 0.002) and PAI-1 (P = 0.010) at the 12-month follow-up in patients on biologics compared with patients who were not treated using biologics. CONCLUSIONS: Serum resistin levels at diagnosis of pediatric CD predict the escalation to biologic therapy at 12 months, independent of VAT volumes. Resistin and PAI-1 levels significantly improved in patients with CD after treatment using biologics compared with those not on biologics. These results suggest the utility of resistin as a predictive biomarker in pediatric CD.

Impact of Diet on Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms: An Adolescent Viewpoint.

Background: Dietary modification shows promise as therapy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, it is unknown whether adolescents are interested in a dietary approach. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of adolescents with IBD ages 14-21 on disease knowledge, dietary habits, and perceptions of diet therapy. Results: A total of 132 subjects (48.5% female), mean age of 17.8 years and median disease length of 5 years (range 0, 16), completed the survey. Diet was perceived as a symptom trigger by 59.8% of subjects, and 45.4% had tried using diet as a treatment for symptom resolution, often without physician supervision and with limited success. Subjects experiencing active disease symptoms as determined by Manitoba IBD Index were more likely to be currently modifying their diet compared to subjects without active disease symptoms (odds ratio = 4.11, confidence interval = 1.58, 10.73, P = 0.003). Conclusions: Adolescents with IBD perceive a relationship between diet and disease symptoms and are interested in dietary modification as a symptom management option.

Challenges in Transitional Care in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Review of the Current Literature in Transition Readiness and Outcomes.

Transitional care for patients with IBD focuses on efforts to successfully transfer care from pediatric to adult providers while encouraging the assumption of health care responsibility. As 25% of patients will be diagnosed with IBD before the age of 18 years, many will undergo this process. Efforts to enhance this process have included transition clinics and other means to improve patient comfort with transition and develop the skill of health care self-management. Currently, most pediatric practitioners provide transition care with informal education and emphasize independence without formal programs. A variety of tools to assess transition readiness have been developed. Given the varied disease process, often varied and subjective outcomes, and lack of studies such as randomized controlled trials, further data are necessary to determine the best avenue to transition and assess outcomes. Critically relevant to providing adequate care to transitioning patients includes understanding the development of self-management skills and the developmental processes relevant to young adults with IBD. Transition represents an area for quality improvement, and although progress has been made in recognition and promotion of transition practices, future directions in research will allow improved understanding of the evidence-based practices and needs of these individuals to further enhance their care.

Caustic Ingestions and Foreign Bodies Ingestions in Pediatric Patients.

Children inevitably swallow foreign material accidentally or intentionally. Each type of ingestion carries their own set of risks and complications, short and long term, some requiring immediate attention while others close monitoring. Alkalotic household cleaning products and lithium button batteries are increasingly common and damage the esophagus quickly. While many toys with rare-earth metals are banned, they are already present in many households and can cause necrosis of bowel that is between the magnets. This article reviews the incidence and assessment along with current literature to provide guidelines for management of pediatric patients with suspected caustic or foreign body ingestion.