Surgical management of very early onset inflammatory bowel disease

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in children under six years of age, known as very early-onset inflammatory bowel disease (VEO-IBD) has been increasing. VEO-IBD has distinct clinical phenotypes, treatment response and outcomes, however the role of surgical intervention remains poorly understood. This study examines surgical management in this population.

We conducted a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with VEO-IBD at a single institution between January 2008 and May 2024. Data on demographics, clinical characteristics, and measures of disease severity were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

A total of 121 patients met criteria for inclusion. The majority of patients were diagnosed with a Crohn's disease phenotype (n = 74, 61.2 %). Disease was most frequently isolated to the colon (n = 76, 62.8 %) or ileocolic (n = 38, 31.4 %). Approximately half of the patients (n = 60, 49.6 %) had previously received treatment at another facility. Surgical intervention was required in 26 patients (21.5 %). Of those who had surgery, 69.2 % had an ostomy created, 34.6 % had a bowel resection, 26.9 % had an anorectal exam under anesthesia. Factors significantly associated with operative intervention included Black race (P = 0.011), diagnosis before one year of age (P = 0.022), height velocity ≤ 2SD (P = 0.005), perianal disease (0.005) and disease severity (P = 0.019). Notably, family history (P = 0.226), positive genetic findings (P = 0.459), disease classification (P = 0.991), and disease location were not significantly linked with the need for surgical intervention. Among children who had a bowel resection or stoma creation, there was no statistically significant difference in post-operative height velocity or medication usage.

This study represents the largest single-center review of surgical interventions in VEO-IBD patients, with a 22 % intervention rate. Black race, age at diagnosis, disease severity, decreased height velocity and presence of perianal disease significantly influence surgical need. Given the heterogeneity of VEO-IBD, further research is necessary to elucidate the role of surgery, as well as surgical outcomes in managing this complex condition.