Infliximab Optimization Based on Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background: Infliximab (IFX) is an effective treatment for the management of moderate to severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Low-serum IFX levels are associated with the development of antibodies to IFX (ATI), which subsequently associated with clinical relapse and increased morbidity. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the relation between dose and interval to IFX level.

Pilot Study Evaluating Efficacy of 2 Regimens for Hypovitaminosis D Repletion in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objectives: Vitamin D is critical for skeletal health; hypovitaminosis D is common in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), yet optimal repletion therapy is not well studied. We aimed to conduct a pilot trial comparing the efficacy of 2 vitamin D regimens of weekly dosing for the repletion of hypovitaminosis D in pediatric IBD.

Methods: Subjects identified from our IBD clinic with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations <30 ng/mL were randomized to 10,000 (n = 18) or 5000 (n = 14) IU of oral vitamin D3/10 kg body weight per week for 6 weeks.

A 14-year-old girl with recurrent vulvar abscess.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease is a relatively common condition that may present in a myriad of fashions, from the more frequently seen symptoms of diarrhea and abdominal pain to the less likely presentations with fistulas and abscesses.

Case: A 14-year-old female with a presumed diagnosis of a Bartholin's gland cyst was treated for over 1 year with both medical and surgical interventions without her symptoms ever completely resolving. It was later found that these recurring vulvar abscesses were a manifestation of Crohn's disease.

Vitamin D status and bone mineral density in African American children with Crohn disease.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency and low bone mineral density (BMD) are complications of inflammatory bowel disease. Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent among African Americans compared with whites. There are little data comparing differences in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations and BMD between African American and white children with Crohn disease (CD).