Recognition and treatment of genitourinary complications in paediatric Crohn's disease using Infliximab
N A Afzal1, M U Shenoy, S Haque
1Department of Paediatrics, Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust, Southampton, UK. N.Afzal@soton.ac.uk
Insights
Genitourinary complications in children with Crohn's disease are rare but serious. Infliximab may help heal fistulas, but individualized treatment remains crucial for managing this pediatric Crohn's complication.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Gastroenterology
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Background:
- Genitourinary complications of Crohn's disease (CD) are recognized but under-reported, particularly in pediatric cases.
- Limited data exists on the clinical course and management strategies for pediatric CD-related urological issues.
Observation:
- This case series details five pediatric patients with severe Crohn's disease experiencing diverse urological complications.
- All affected children required immunosuppressive therapy, including Infliximab, due to disease severity.
Findings:
- Three out of four children with fistulas achieved healing and closure following treatment.
- Despite fistula healing, subsequent surgeries were still necessary for other reasons in these patients.
Implications:
- Infliximab presents a potential therapeutic option for managing genitourinary fistulas in pediatric Crohn's disease.
- Treatment decisions for pediatric Crohn's urological complications should be individualized due to the lack of established consensus.
Unlabelled:
Although genitourinary complications of Crohn's are well recognized, available information regarding their clinical course and management is sparse especially in the paediatric population. We report a myriad of urological complications in five paediatric cases, our experience from a tertiary paediatric urological and gastroenterological centre. All children with urological complications had severe Crohn's disease which necessitated the use of immuno-suppressants including Infliximab. Three of four children healed and closed their fistulas after treatment, although failed to avoid future surgery, albeit for other reasons.
Conclusion:
We suggest Infliximab should be considered as a treatment option but in the absence of a common consensus, treatment be tailored to individual cases.
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