Epidemiological characteristic, clinic presentation, and outcome of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) among pediatric age groups in Tawam hospital, Al Ain City, United Arab Emirates
Rula Al Ajeh, Dalia Said, Haifa Al AwadhiBackground
Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and indeterminate colitis (IC), is a long-term condition of rising prevalence worldwide and posing serious challenges to health and healthcare systems. In spite of the growing awareness, there is a notable absence of published data on pediatric IBD in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the last two decades.
Objective
The aim of this research is to describe the epidemiology, clinical presentation, management, and complications of IBD in pediatric patients at Tawam Hospital, Al Ain city, UAE, one of the main referral centers for pediatric gastroenterology in the country.
Methodology:
A cross-sectional retrospective cohort study was conducted through chart review of pediatric IBD patients (0–16 years) diagnosed between January 2011 and June 2023 at Tawam Hospital. Diagnosis was made depending on clinical, biochemical, endoscopic, histological, and radiological results. Data gathered included demographics, clinical presentation, laboratory results, treatment protocols, and complications. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 22.0, a
Results
A total of 67 children were enrolled (29 males, 38 females; 67% UAE nationals). CD was the most common diagnosis (51%), followed by UC (43%) and IC (6%). Female preponderance was noted in CD (62%). The median presenting age was 10 years, with presentations as young as 7 months. The most frequent presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (94%) and diarrhea (82%). There was a family history of IBD in 18% of the cases. Laboratory results revealed anemia in 73%, thrombocytosis in 50%, and leukocytosis in 12%. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathological results substantiated active disease in a significant percentage. The majority of patients (87%) needed combination therapy. Corticosteroids (66%) and mesalamine (63%) were the two most frequently administered drugs. Biologic medications were given to 41.5% of patients. Surgery was required in 14.9% of patients, with it being mostly in those with CD.
Conclusion
This study characterizes pediatric IBD in the UAE and reveals epidemiological and clinical similarities with neighboring countries, likely due to shared genetic and environmental factors. Expansion of this effort through multicenter coordination and longer follow-up is recommended to further inform disease pathogenesis and optimize management strategy.