title: [Inflammatory bowel disease in children--an analysis of the clinical symptoms and selected biochemical parameters].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  an analysis of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  eighty-nine children with IBD (58 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 31 with Crohn's disease (CD) diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms, endoscopic and histopathological examination, were qualified into the studied group. Disease activity was evaluated by using Truelowe-Witts scale for UC and PCDA9 scale for CD cases. Forty-two children without acute or chronic inflammatory diseases constituted the control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  the frequency of such clinical symptoms as: diarrhea, fever, weight loss, abdominal pain, weakness, constipations, anemia, joints pain, vomits, and jaundice was comparable in children with UC and CD while intestinal bleeding was significantly more frequently observed in patients with UC than with CD (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in BMI between patients with UC and CD. Cole's index was significantly higher in children with UC than with CD (P<0.05). Hemoglobin level and serum iron level were statistically significantly lower in patients with CD than in the control group (P<0.05). Mean leukocyte count in children with CD was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). Neutrophils percentage in patients with UC and CD was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). Platelet count was significantly higher in all children with IBD than in the control group (P<0.05). Mean serum CRP level was significantly higher only in children with CD while ESR was significantly higher in both groups of IBD patients. Mean serum gamma-globulin level was statistically significantly higher in children with UC and with CD but no significant differences were observed in serum IgA, IgG, and IgM levels among the analyzed groups. Serum GT level was higher in children with CD than in the control group while serum ALT and AST level did not differ significantly among the analyzed groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. Serum C-reactive protein level is one of the most valuable markers for monitoring the course of IBD, especially CD, in children. 2. In patients with IBD systematic monitoring of liver function parameters (especially parameters of cholestasis) is necessary as severe hepatic complications may occur. 3. Further search for new sensitive and specific markers monitoring the course of inflammatory bowel diseases is needed.
authors.affiliation: Katedra i Klinika Pediatrii, Gastroenterologii i Onkologii Dzieciecej Akademii Medycznej w Gdańsku. pland@amg.gda.pl
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Landowski
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liberek
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szlagatys-Sidorkiewicz
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Radys
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brodzicki
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szarszewski
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marek
authors.forename: Grazyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Łuczak
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kamińska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein