Abstract
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disorders in adults, although there are still very sporadic published data in children. The objective of our prospective study was to evaluate endothelial dysfunction (ED) by reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) and specific biochemical parameters in children with Crohn's disease (CD). 21 CD patients and 12 healthy children were enrolled in the study.
Diagnosis of CD was based on clinical, endoscopic and histological criteria including the Paediatric Crohn's disease Activity Index (PCDAI). ED was assessed using the combination of RHI and specific biochemical markers.
We found significantly lower RHI values in CD patients in comparison to the healthy controls (p<0,05). E-selectin (p<0.05), asymmetric dimethylarginin (p<0.01) and high-sensitive CRP (p<0.05) were significantly increased in CD patients compared to the control group.
Our results demonstrate that Crohn's disease might be associated with ED and therefore with a higher risk of development of premature atherosclerosis. We also demonstrated the suitability of using the combination of RHI and specific biochemical markers in assessing ED and stratifying of cardiovascular risk and long term follow-up in children with CD.