Link between Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Growth Retardation: A Systematic Review

Amir Fayyaz Shaikh Sardar   Muhammad; Nujud Abdullah   Alessa; Ghadi Sahal K.   Alzughaibi; Abdulaziz abdullah o  Alanazi; Fatima Emad   Almuammar; Fatimah Suliman   Alkuaybi; Nuha Mohammed   Alzaydi; Nasser Mahdi B Almansour; Abdulrahman Khalid A  Alsaleem; Asma Abdulrahim  Jadw

doi:10.54293/smhj.v5i1.124

Authors

Amir Fayyaz Shaikh Sardar Muhammad Consultant Pediatric, Maternity and Children Hospital-Arar, KSA
Nujud Abdullah Alessa Medical intern, AFH hospital, Alkobar, KSA.
Ghadi Sahal K. Alzughaibi General practice, Medical intern King Fahad General hospital, Medina, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9655-5964
Abdulaziz abdullah o Alanazi Medical intern, PMAH hospital, Shaqra University, Riyadh, KSA.
Fatima Emad Almuammar Medical intern, Airbase hospital, king Faisal University, Alkhobar, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3925-3967
Fatimah Suliman Alkuaybi Medical intern, Jazan University, Jazan, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3153-3614
Nuha Mohammed Alzaydi Medical Intern, College of medicine at Qassim University, , AlRass, Qassim, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6089-9315
Nasser Mahdi B Almansour Medical Intern, MBBS, Najran University, ⁠Najran City, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7130-2886
Abdulrahman Khalid A Alsaleem Medical intern, MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery), King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3223-4511
Asma Abdulrahim Jadw MBBS, Medical intern, ⁠Medicine & Surgery graduate, Taibah University, Madinah, ⁠KSA. https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0536-9673

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54293/smhj.v5i1.124

Keywords:

Inflammatory Bowel disease; Growth impairment; Ulcerative colitis; Crohn’s disease; Systematic review.

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to underlie the growth impairment mechanisms in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. A total of 584 pertinent publications were found after a comprehensive search across four databases. Full-text publications (293) were examined after duplicates were eliminated using Rayyan QCRI and relevance was checked; seven studies finally satisfied the requirements for inclusion. A total of 1927 children diagnosed with IBD were included in this research; 1467 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 460 with ulcerative colitis (UC). Males were 1153 (59.5%). Growth abnormalities, especially in CD patients, are commonly observed in children with IBD, often appearing strongly before age fifteen. These growth issues, including height and weight retardation, are worsened by chronic inflammation and are particularly severe in children with low weight at diagnosis. Younger children, particularly those under ten, are more affected than older children, especially in cases of UC. Adolescents with IBD may also experience disruptions in the pubertal growth spurt, possibly due to hormonal imbalances, such as reduced insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) availability. Pediatric IBD is closely linked to growth issues, especially in children with CD and those diagnosed at a young age. Early diagnosis and proper management are essential to support normal growth and prevent long-term effects. Clinicians should monitor growth as a key indicator of disease impact and provide nutritional and medical support. Further researches are needed to identify the best strategies to address growth problems and help these children reach their full potential.