title: Impact of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease on linear growth: Data from a national cohort study in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Linear growth impairment (LGI) is one of the most important features peculiar to children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this report is to define the impact of IBD on the linear growth of children in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from a cohort of newly- diagnosed children with IBD from 2003 to 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. The diagnosis of IBD was confirmed in accordance with the published criteria. Length/height for age was measured at diagnosis. The World Health Organization (WHO) reference was used and LGI was defined by length/height for age <-2 standard deviation. Chi-square test was used to test the significance of estimates and a P < 0.05 was considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 374 children from 0.33 to 16 years of age, including 119 ulcerative colitis (UC) (32%), and 255 Crohn's disease (CD) (68%) patients. The prevalence of LGI was 26%, 28%, and 21% in IBD, CD, and UC, respectively. In children below 10 years, LGI was significantly more common in CD (P = 0.010), while in UC children, it was more common in older children (P = 0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates a prevalence of LGI consistent with that reported in the literature, but higher in CD children with early onset (<10 years) and in older children with UC, underscoring the importance of monitoring growth in children with IBD in the Saudi population. Prospective studies are needed to define the impact of IBD on growth velocity, puberty, and final adult stature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Head, Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research Group, Member of Prince Abdullah Bin Khalid Celiac Disease Research Chair, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: El Mouzan
authors.forename: Mohammad A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Al Mofarreh
authors.forename: Omar I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Saadah
authors.forename: Abdulrahman A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Hussaini
authors.forename: Khalid A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Al-Saleem
authors.forename: Ali I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Al Mehaidib
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors