Pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases: coming of age.
OBJECTIVE
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) comprise a heterogeneous group of distinct intestinal disorders. Here, we discuss the concept of childhood-onset IBD as separate disease forms within a larger multifactorial disease category.


RESULTS
There are excellent epidemiological data indicating that the incidence of pediatric IBD, mainly Crohn's disease, is still increasing over the last decades, with indicators of more extensive and more severe disease presentations in children compared to adults, also reflected by higher levels of humoral immune responses. Recent genetic scans allowed to identify particular susceptibility genes for pediatric IBD forms, such as IL27 or probably DcR3. Early postnatal onset forms of IBD might reflect monogenetic causes, as suggested with the finding of IL10 signaling defects that may define a new form of IBD.


CONCLUSIONS
There are good epidemiological, genetic and clinical data to distinguish different forms of IBD, particularly forms starting early in life. Profound insights in the molecular basis of immune dysregulation in IBD have been gained over the last few years. These recent discoveries will nourish and substantially stimulate the future search for precise cause(s) responsible for life-long intestinal inflammation and it will help to explain the still ongoing rise in incidence in childhood IBD.
Ruemmele
Frank M
FM
Université Paris Descartes, INSERM U989 and Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France. frank.ruemmele@nck.aphp.fr
D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D015994:Incidence; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology; D010641:Phenotype; D053323:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 6b / Q000276:immunology; D015398:Signal Transduction
D007378:Interleukins; C464565:MYDGF protein, human; D053323:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 6b; C505911:TNFRSF6B protein, human; D016753:Interleukin-10