title: Immunization history of children with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Protection against vaccine-preventable diseases is important in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to frequent immunosuppressive therapy use. The chronic relapsing nature and treatment regimen of IBD may necessitate modified timing of immunizations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the completeness of immunizations in children with IBD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunization records of all children with IBD followed at the Alberta Children's Hospital (Calgary, Alberta) were reviewed. For children with incomplete immunization according to the province of Alberta schedule, the reasons for such were clarified. Demographic data and age at diagnosis were also collected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunization records were obtained from 145 (79%) children with IBD. Fifteen children had incomplete routine childhood immunizations, including two with no previous immunizations. The most common incomplete immunizations included hepatitis B (n=9), diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis at 14 to 16 years of age (n=7), and diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, inactivated polio at four to six years of age (n=6). The reasons for incomplete immunization included use of immunosuppressive therapy at time of scheduled immunization; IBD-related symptoms at time of scheduled immunization; parental refusal; recent move from elsewhere with different immunization schedule; unawareness of routine immunization; and needle phobia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the majority of children with IBD had complete childhood immunizations, suboptimal immunizations were present in 10%. With increasing use of immunosuppressive therapy in IBD, physicians caring for children with IBD must periodically evaluate immunization status and ensure the completeness of childhood immunizations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Department of Paediatric, Alberta Children's Hospital, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta.
authors.forename: Ing Shian
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Soon
authors.forename: Jennifer C C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: deBruyn
authors.forename: Iwona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wrobel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000416:Alberta; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D000075202:Contraindications; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011054:Poliovirus Vaccine, Inactivated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014612:Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D011054:Poliovirus Vaccine, Inactivated; D014612:Vaccines