Objectives: To characterize the response to current medical therapies in children with ulcerative colitis, and to identify those factors that may predict the need for colectomy.
Design: Retrospective chart review at two large pediatric inflammatory bowel disease centers.
Results: We identified 171 subjects ranging in age from 1.5 to 17.7 years at diagnosis (mean 11.2 years). Mean follow-up was 5.1 years. Of these subjects, 43% had mild disease at presentation and 57% had disease that was classified as moderate or severe. After treatment 90% of the former group and 81% of the latter group had resolution of symptoms by 6 months. During any subsequent yearly follow-up interval, approximately 55% of the entire study population was symptom free, 38% had chronic intermittent symptoms, and 7% had continuous symptoms. A significantly lower risk of colectomy was noted for those with initially mild disease compared with those with moderate/severe disease. At 1-year the risk of colectomy was 1% among those with mild disease versus 8% with moderate/severe disease; at 5 years, the risk of colectomy was 9% in the mild disease group versus 26% in the moderate/severe disease group (p <0.03).
Conclusions: In the majority of pediatric subjects with ulcerative colitis remission is achieved in the first 6 months after therapy; thereafter disease is inactive in about 50% of patients during any given year of follow-up. Severity of disease at presentation is a significant risk factor for colectomy during the first 5 years of follow-up. Future management protocols with more aggressive initial therapy may be warranted in children with moderate/severe disease.