| Theme |
Treatment for children, pregnant women and elderly patients with IBD |
| Title |
Epidemiology of pediatric onset inflammatory bowel disease in Japan |
| Author |
Takashi Ishige |
Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine / Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Hospital for Sick Children |
| Author |
Takeshi Tomomasa |
Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine / PAL Children's Clinic |
| Author |
Maiko Tatsuki |
Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine |
| Author |
Reiko Hatori |
Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine |
| Author |
Hirokazu Arakawa |
Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine |
| [ Summary ] |
It is speculated that pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a specific group of patients with particular gene defects and immune responses, which result in differences in phenotypic appearance. In Japan, male predominance has been reported in both pediatric and adult Crohn's disease patients. However, the male-to-female ratios are similar to those observed in Western countries only for children, Patients diagnosed with IBD at younger age, exhibit anatomic distributions which are clearly different increased ileal involvement in Crohn's disease patients and more pancolitis among ulcerative colitis patients. When compared to pediatric patients in Western countries, Japanese patients with Crohn's disease manifest with more perianal diseases. As younger patients, under six, have distinct phenotypes as compared to older patients, Japanese medical aid for specified chronic childhood disease provides specific criteria for those patients with early-onset IBD. Those specificities might be associated with differences in responses to treatment of pediatric IBD patients. |