To study growth and disease activity over 12 months (6 months prior to (T ?#xA0;6), baseline (T0) and for 6 months following (T + 6) adalimumab).
Growth and treatment details of 36 children (M: 22) who started adalimumab at a median (10th, 90th) age of 14.7 years (11.3, 16.8) were reviewed.
Of 36 cases, 28 (78 % ) went into remission. Overall 42 % of children showed catch up growth, which was more likely in: (i) those who achieved remission (median change in height SDS (¦¤HtSDS) increased from ?#xA0;0.2 (?#xA0;0.9, 1.0) at T0 to 0.2 (?#xA0;0.6, 1.6) at T + 6, (p = 0.007)), (ii) in those who were on immunosuppression ¦¤HtSDS increased from ?#xA0;0.2 (?#xA0;0.9, 1.0) at T0 to 0.1 (?#xA0;0.8, 1.3) at T + 6, (p = 0.03) and (iii) in those whose indication for using adalimumab therapy was an allergic reaction to infliximab, median ¦¤HtSDS increased significantly from ?#xA0;0.3 (?#xA0;0.9, 1.0) at T0 to 0.3 (?#xA0;0.5, 1.6) at T + 6, (p = 0.02). Median ¦¤HtSDS also increased from ?#xA0;0.4 (?#xA0;0.8, 0.7) at T0 to 0.0 (?#xA0;0.6, 1.6) at T + 6, (p = 0.04) in 15 children who were on prednisolone therapy when starting adalimumab.
Clinical response to adalimumab therapy is associated with an improvement in linear growth in a proportion of children with CD. Improved growth is more likely in patients entering remission and on immunosuppression but is not solely due to a steroid sparing effect.