title: Role of sex in the treatment and clinical outcomes of pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine sex differences in medical therapy and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional analysis of children with Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) using data from the ImproveCareNow Network collected between May 2007 and May 2010. Clinical remission, disease severity, body mass index (BMI) z scores, normal height velocity, and medication use were analyzed by sex and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand four hundred nine patients were included (993 had CD and 416 had UC). No significant sex differences were found in disease severity, BMI, height velocity, or use of medications. Further analysis of combination therapy with infliximab + 6-mercaptopurine/azathioprine and infliximab + methotrexate also did not reveal any differences. No sex differences were found after mediation use was stratified by age (those younger than 13 years and those 13 years old or older).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample of CD and UC pediatric patients, no significant sex differences were found in disease severity, BMI, height velocity, or medication use. Our data do not support the use of sex as a major factor in patient risk stratification for children with IBD. In addition, despite concerns for sex-specific complications of some medications, our analysis did not suggest any sex differences in medication use.
authors: Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA. grace.lee@nationwidechildrens.org
authors: Grace J
authors: GJ
authors: Lee
authors: Michael D
authors: MD
authors: Kappelman
authors: Brendan
authors: B
authors: Boyle
authors: Richard B
authors: RB
authors: Colletti
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: King
authors: Jesse M
authors: JM
authors: Pratt
authors: Wallace V
authors: WV
authors: Crandall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069285:Infliximab; D015122:Mercaptopurine; D001379:Azathioprine; D008727:Methotrexate