Chronic Mucosal Inflammation in Pediatric Intestinal Failure Patients-A Unique Phenomenon

As intestinal failure (IF) management improves and long-term survival rate increases, its physiological complications have become more apparent. The development of chronic intestinal inflammation resembling inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in this population has been reported, but the literature describing it in detail is sparse. The present study was designed to characterize children with IF who developed chronic intestinal inflammation and identify the potential predisposing clinical factors.

This retrospective study was based on the electronic medical records of pediatric patients seen at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center between January 2000 and July 2022. Demographic and medical history data were collected and compared between children with IF that developed chronic intestinal inflammation and children with IF that did not develop chronic intestinal inflammation.

During the follow-up period, 23 children were diagnosed with chronic intestinal inflammation. Of these, 12 (52%) were males, with a median age of 4.5 (3-7) years at diagnosis. Nearly one-third of the patients had gastroschisis (31%), followed by necrotizing enterocolitis (26%), and malrotation and volvulus (21.7%). More children in the chronic intestinal inflammation group lacked an ileocecal valve (ICV) and adjoining distal ileum as compared to the short bowel syndrome (SBS)-IF control group (15 patients, 65% vs 8 patients, 33%). Moreover, more children in the chronic intestinal inflammation group had undergone a prior lengthening procedure than the SBS-IF control group (5 patients, 21.7% vs. 0, respectively).

SBS patients are at risk of relatively early onset chronic intestinal inflammation. The absence of an ICV (and adjoin ileum) and prior lengthening procedures emerge as factors associated with the risk of IBD in these patients.