Anti-TNFs in Early Puberty May Improve Growth in Pediatric IBD

[my little penguin]

Anti-TNFs in Early Puberty May Improve Growth in Pediatric IBD
By Reuters Staff
October 04, 2016

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Anti-TNF drugs are more likely to improve growth in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) if they're given in the earlier stages of puberty, new findings show.

Children who achieve remission are also more likely to have satisfactory growth, the research team reported online September 21 in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.

Pediatric IBD, especially Crohn's disease, can stunt growth, but some studies have found infliximab (IFX) and adalimumab (ADA) to be associated with better short term growth, Dr. Fiona Cameron of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and colleagues write in their report.

To better understand the effects of IFX and ADA on growth in pediatric IBD, the researchers looked at 195 youngsters who started biological therapy in Scotland from 2000 to 2012. Eighty-five percent had Crohn's disease, 14% had ulcerative colitis, and 1% had unclassified IBD. The median age at diagnosis was 11 years.


The children received a total of 240 courses of therapy.

Growth data from 12 months before biologic therapy initiation to 12 months afterward were available for 93 of the 191 patients on IFX, and 28 of 49 patients on ADA.

Eighteen percent of the patients on IFX had severe growth failure at the study's outset. The patients on IFX who achieved remission showed significant improvement in median height standard deviation score (HtSDS), change in HtSDS, and height velocity (HV).

Patients in Tanner stages 1-3 had an increase in change in HtSDS and HV, while patients in stages 4 or 5 had no significant change in HtSDS and a decrease in HV.

Growth was better in patients who received IFX for at least 12 months compared to those who were on the drug for a shorter period. Male patients showed greater improvements in growth than females. Patients who had IBD for longer than two years and those who received azathioprine along with IFX also had improved linear growth.

Patients treated with ADA also had increased height only at 12 months. Early stages of puberty (Tanner stage 2 and 3) were associated with increased change in HtSDS and HV - but no improvement was seen in those who were not on corticosteroids at baseline.

"Growth improves with greater disease control as can be seen in our results, where no improvement in growth was observed in those who did not achieve remission after induction," Dr. Cameron and her team write. "In those that achieved remission post-induction, improvement was seen in all measures of growth suggesting that these patients may demonstrate catch-up growth now that the inflammatory process has been 'switched off' rather than the anti-TNF therapy agents themselves."

They conclude: "The exact role that anti-TNF therapy plays in improving growth requires further study, including elucidation of more effective treatment strategies to reduce the inflammatory process and promote catch-up growth, so ensuring that young people with IBD can achieve their full growth potential."

Dr. Cameron did not respond to an interview request by press time.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2dmzrCI

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2016.

From

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/869653?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=185734DZ

 

[Jmrogers4]

This has proven true for my kiddo. Started Remicade at 14.5, very early stages of puberty. He was 5'1" at start and now 2 1/2 years later he is 6'. Most of that growth occurred in the first 18 months (catch up?).
Before remicade we were hoping and praying to reach 5'6", we never thought he would be 6 foot tall. I really believe without reaching full remission through remicade he would not have reached his current height.

 

[xmdmom]

Of course it makes sense that getting the inflammation under control early will increase chances of good growth. If one starts treating in late puberty, there isn't very much growth potential as growth plates are almost closed.

 

[Tesscorm]

Jacqui, so great to hear how much he's grown!! I remember sending you pics of Stephen, before and after hitting puberty... so glad that Jack's all grown up!

 

[Farmwife]

Grace isn't near puberty yet but her doctors are all excited that at 7 has hit 4 feet tall!
She was always in the 6%-12% on the growth charts but after a year of Remicade she's near 30%. Awesome!:dusty:

 

[Jmrogers4]

Go Grace!
We actually had GI appointment yesterday and was talking to Jack's GI about this study. He just came back from a conference and said they talked about this at the conference and he thought about Jack while they were talking about it.
The last few GI appointments Jack and his GI have stood back to back to see who is taller. The last appointment they had to go to the machine as it was hard to tell but his doctor had him by about 1/4". Jack has grown a 1/2" since then and is officially taller than his GI, it was cute seeing how excited he was. His next goal is to pass his dad only another 1/2" and they will be the same height.