Abstract
Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are multisystem disorders. Besides inflammatory process in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract there is an evidence of an existence of extraintestinal inflammation. This include pulmonary involvement. There are no exact data showing the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-correlated lung manifestation in children. The aim of the study was to investigate pulmonary involvement in children with IBD.
Material and methods: Fifty patients with IBD (25 with CU and 25 with CD, mean age 14,19±3,2) and 39 healthy control subjects (mean age 13,97±3,47) were included in the study. All patients from study and control group underwent standard spirometry, whole body pletysmography, assessment of diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO).
Results: There were no significant differences between study and control groups Lung volumes remain within normal limits. DLCO was abnormal in 9 (18%) and 6 (15.3%) children from study and control group, respectively. We found one patient (2%) with decreased vital capacity (restriction not confirmed by whole body pletysmography) and two (4%) with obstructive changes in IBD group. In two patients from control group (5.1%) airway obstruction was diagnosed. Small airways tests were abnormal in 13 (26%) subjects from study group and in 13 (33%) control patients.
Conclusion: Pulmonary function in children with inflammatory bowel disease do not differ from healthy population.
- © 2011 ERS
