Paediatric inflammatory bowel disease in India: a prospective multicentre study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric gastroenterology
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) research
• Clinical epidemiology

Background:

• Paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD) is a growing global health concern.
• Limited data exists on PIBD demographics and clinical characteristics in India.
• This multicenter study addresses the sparse information on Indian PIBD cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the demographics of PIBD in Indian children.
• To characterize the clinical phenotype and treatment outcomes of PIBD in India.
• To compare very early onset PIBD (VEOIBD) with older PIBD cases.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter study involving children (≤18 years) diagnosed with PIBD.
• Data collection via proforma detailing demographics, clinical profile, and investigations.
• Analysis of disease extent, treatment strategies, and patient outcomes.

Main Results:

• 325 children were enrolled: Crohn's disease (65.2%), ulcerative colitis (28.0%), and IBD unclassified (6.7%).
• Median age at diagnosis was 11 years; 19.2% had VEOIBD.
• While disease phenotype resembles Western cohorts, utilization of EEN, biologics, and surgery was low.

Conclusions:

• PIBD in Indian children shares similarities in disease location and phenotype with Western populations.
• Underutilization of advanced therapeutic options (EEN, biologics, surgery) is noted.
• VEOIBD represents a significant proportion (19.2%) of PIBD cases in India.