Crohn's Disease Different in Boys Than in Girls--- from Reuters Health

[Guest guest]

Monday, December 17, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Crohn's disease tends to be more severe

in girls than in boys, but boys with the disorder are more prone to

stunted growth, new research suggests.

Crohn's disease, along with ulcerative colitis, is a serious

inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The inflammation can occur anywhere

in the digestive system from the mouth to the anus, although it is

most often found in the small and large intestines. The disease,

which can cause abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea, is treated

with various medications or when an intestinal blockage occurs, with

surgery.

" Gender differences in the course of Crohn's disease are unclear, "

Dr. Melvin B. Heyman at the University of California, San Francisco,

and colleagues state in the journal Pediatrics. Identifying how the

disease is expressed differently according to gender can improve our

understanding of the cause, underlying disease process, and the

natural history of Crohn's disease.

Using the Pediatric IBD Consortium Registry, Heyman's team compared

566 boys and 423 girls diagnosed with Crohn's disease before they

were 17 years old. The patients were followed for 3.6 years, on

average.

Girls had a higher rate of mouth sores and lower blood levels of a

protein called albumin, suggesting the presence of malabsorption

syndrome. In addition, girls also were at greater risk for common

skin rashes seen with the disease and usually required intestinal

surgery before boys.

Cyclosporine, a common immune-suppressing drug, was used more often

among girls, most likely reflecting more severe disease that doesn't

respond to first-line drugs, the authors suggest.

As noted, boys were more likely than girls to develop growth failure:

12.6 versus 4.0 percent, respectively.

Heyman and his team call for further studies to examine gender

differences in Crohn's disease.

SOURCE: Pediatrics, December 2007.

[Guest guest]

Here's more info on Crohn's disease:

http://www.ivanhoe.com/channels/p_channelstory.cfm?storyid=17599

MaC

ptrbovic wrote: Monday,

December 17, 2007

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Crohn's disease tends to be more severe

in girls than in boys, but boys with the disorder are more prone to

stunted growth, new research suggests.

Crohn's disease, along with ulcerative colitis, is a serious

inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The inflammation can occur anywhere

in the digestive system from the mouth to the anus, although it is

most often found in the small and large intestines. The disease,

which can cause abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea, is treated

with various medications or when an intestinal blockage occurs, with

surgery.

" Gender differences in the course of Crohn's disease are unclear, "

Dr. Melvin B. Heyman at the University of California, San Francisco,

and colleagues state in the journal Pediatrics. Identifying how the

disease is expressed differently according to gender can improve our

understanding of the cause, underlying disease process, and the

natural history of Crohn's disease.

Using the Pediatric IBD Consortium Registry, Heyman's team compared

566 boys and 423 girls diagnosed with Crohn's disease before they

were 17 years old. The patients were followed for 3.6 years, on

average.

Girls had a higher rate of mouth sores and lower blood levels of a

protein called albumin, suggesting the presence of malabsorption

syndrome. In addition, girls also were at greater risk for common

skin rashes seen with the disease and usually required intestinal

surgery before boys.

Cyclosporine, a common immune-suppressing drug, was used more often

among girls, most likely reflecting more severe disease that doesn't

respond to first-line drugs, the authors suggest.

As noted, boys were more likely than girls to develop growth failure:

12.6 versus 4.0 percent, respectively.

Heyman and his team call for further studies to examine gender

differences in Crohn's disease.

SOURCE: Pediatrics, December 2007.

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