Growth failure is rare in a contemporary cohort of paediatric inflammatory bowel disease patients.

AIM We assessed growth in a paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD) cohort. METHODS PIBD patients were eligible if they were diagnosed at Southampton Children's Hospital from 2011-2018. Weight and height standard-deviation-scores (SDS) were retrieved. Mean SDS-values, SDS-change and anti-TNF status were analysed at diagnosis and during follow-up. RESULTS 490 patients were included, 313 with Crohn's disease (CD). CD patients presented with mean height-SDS -0.13, -0.1 at 1-year, -0.11 at 2-years and -0.03 at 5-years, reflecting preserved linear growth. There was no significant height-SDS change from diagnosis to 5-year follow-up, +0.12, 95%-CI 0.48 to -0.24. Mean weight-SDS at diagnosis was -0.39, driven by CD patients (-0.65). Mean weight-SDS approached 0 after 1-year and remained at the 50th -centile throughout follow-up. Growth in ulcerative colitis was maintained. In multivariable regression males had worse height growth from diagnosis to transition (p=0.036). Anti-TNF treatment (p=0.013) and surgical resection (p=0.005) were also associated with poorer linear growth. Patients treated with anti-TNF therapy had lower height-SDS compared to those never treated with anti-TNF at 1-year (-0.2 vs -0.01, p=0.22), 2-years (-0.27 vs -0.01, p=0.07) and 5-years (-0.21 vs 0.25, p=0.051). CONCLUSION Height was generally maintained in Crohn's disease and impaired linear growth was rare in this cohort.