Ocular endothelial dysfunction in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVES

To assess ocular microvasculature changes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

Patients (aged 6-18 years) with IBD were recruited between September 2021 and May 2023. All eligible participants underwent comprehensive clinical assessment and laboratory investigation. Patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders served as the controls. This study assessed specific IBD phenotypes, disease duration, clinical and endoscopic activity indices, laboratory markers, and medication histories. OCTA was utilized to evaluate ocular microvasculature changes in both groups.

RESULTS

A total of 63 children (mean age 12.9 ± 3.3 years) were enrolled, comprising 38 in the IBD group (16 ulcerative colitis, 22 Crohn's disease, and 25 in the control group). Most patients in the IBD group were in remission or had mild-to-moderate disease activity at enrollment. Analysis of the OCTA results revealed significant differences in the choroidal luminal area and total choroidal area between the IBD and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The study identified distinct ocular microvasculature changes in pediatric IBD patients through OCTA, suggestive of potential systemic endothelial dysfunction. These findings underscore the utility of OCTA in evaluating microvascular alterations associated with pediatric IBD, offering insights into potential systemic complications linked to inflammation in IBD patients.