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Comparative Study
. 2019 Jul 17;25(8):1428-1441.
doi: 10.1093/ibd/izy403.

A Cross-Sectional Study on Malnutrition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Is There a Difference Based on Pediatric or Adult Age Grouping?

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Comparative Study

A Cross-Sectional Study on Malnutrition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Is There a Difference Based on Pediatric or Adult Age Grouping?

Valérie Marcil et al. Inflamm Bowel Dis. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition, commonly observed in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and is attributed to multiple causes. The added energy costs of growth in the child and adolescent with IBD are an additional risk factor.

Methods: The aim of the study was to perform a cross-sectional comparison of nutritional parameters in IBD between pediatric and adult cases.

Results: We found that prevalence of undernutrition (low body mass index) and hypoalbuminemia was not different in pediatric, compared with adult patients. Anemia and iron deficiency were more often observed in pediatric subjects, compared with adults (59.1% vs 36.9%, respectively, P < 0.0001; and 37.9% vs 25.3%, P < 0.002). Vitamin B12 deficiency was significantly less common in the pediatric than in the adult group (5.4% vs 19.4%, P < 0.0001). Elevated C-reactive protein was more frequent in pediatric compared with adult cases (49.8% vs 38.4%, P < 0.01).

Conclusions: Patients with active Crohn's disease were more likely to be undernourished in both pediatric and adult populations. In both groups, predicators of undernutrition included low albumin levels (odds ratio [OR], 2.53; P < 0.006) and active disease (OR, 1.99; P < 0.03). Our results call for close surveillance of nutritional status for IBD patients, regardless of age.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; anemia; inflammatory bowel disease; malnutrition; ulcerative colitis.

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Figures

FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 1.
Antioxidant vitamin levels according to Fe deficiency. The levels of plasma antioxidant vitamins were analyzed according to Fe deficiency (no/yes). Plasma levels of (A) retinol, (B) β-carotene, (C) α-tocopherol, and (D) γ-tocopherol were determined in 48 CD adult patients according to their Fe deficiency status. *P < 0.05 vs no Fe deficiency.
FIGURE 2.
FIGURE 2.
Essential fatty acid deficiency according to disease activity and Fe deficiency. Plasma fatty acid levels were determined in 48 CD adult patients, and the ratio between 16:1ω-7 and 18:1ω-6 was computed in (A) patients with inactive and active disease and (B) patients without and with Fe deficiency. *P < 0.03 and **P < 0.002 vs inactive disease.

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