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Cytokine actions in growth disorders associated with pediatric chronic inflammatory diseases (review)

V E MacRae1, S C Wong, C Farquharson

  • 1Bone Biology Group, Division of Gene Function and Development, Roslin Institute, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS, UK. vicky.macrae@bbsrc.ac.uk

International Journal of Molecular Medicine
|November 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Chronic inflammatory diseases like Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease can cause growth disorders in children. This review explains how pro-inflammatory cytokines impact child growth both locally and systemically.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric endocrinology
  • Immunology
  • Inflammatory diseases

Background:

  • Growth disorders are prevalent in children with chronic inflammatory conditions such as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
  • These conditions are linked to elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine production.
  • Observed growth issues range from overall growth retardation to localized growth acceleration in affected limbs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms by which cytokines influence child growth.
  • To explore both local and systemic effects of cytokines on growth.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on cytokines and child growth.
  • Analysis of cytokine effects on the growth plate (local) and overall body (systemic).

Main Results:

  • Pro-inflammatory cytokines exert direct effects on the growth plate.
  • Cytokines also induce systemic changes that affect overall growth patterns.
  • Both local and systemic cytokine actions contribute to growth disorders in chronic inflammatory diseases.

Conclusions:

  • Cytokines play a significant role in mediating growth disturbances associated with chronic inflammation in children.
  • Understanding these cytokine-driven mechanisms is crucial for managing growth in pediatric inflammatory conditions.

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