title: Assessment of disease activity in pediatric ulcerative colitis.
abstract: To date, we encounter more and more pediatric patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). For yet unclear reasons, UC in pediatric patients seems to be a more aggressive and extensive disease than in their adult counterparts. In the majority of pediatric patients, the disease presents as pancolitis. The severity of the disease is reflected in the high use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants and a high rate of surgery for medically refractory patients. The means by which to assess disease activity or to accurately predict its course are far from optimal. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the means for assessing UC activity in children. Research for developing new tools by which to monitor and forecast disease activity, are needed in all areas including invasive endoscopy, clinical evaluation, and treatment follow-up.
authors.affiliation: a Children's Hospital , Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.
authors.forename: Kaija-Leena
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Kolho
keywords: Fecal markers; PUCAI; calprotectin; children; inflammatory markers