Measurement of Microvascular Function in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background and Aims: Altered vascular flow is known to both play a role in the pathogenesis and influence the severity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This phenomenon has been described in other systemic conditions and contributes to disease progression by facilitating inflammation and thrombosis. Microvascular dysfunction may represent an early sign of generalized vascular disease (VD). It manifests by failure to achieve a normal response of vasodilation and increased blood flow following a period of vasoocclusion. Although thromboembolic complications are well-described in IBD, their pathogenesis is not fully understood. This study sought to assess microvascular responsiveness in pediatric subjects with IBD, by recording post-occlusion peripheral arterial pulsatile volume changes. Patients and Methods: A total of 32, pediatric subjects were studied, including 16 with IBD and 16 age-matched controls. All IBD patients were in clinical remission, and none had known VD. Vascular reactivity was evaluated using the Itamar Medical EndoPAT2000®, a non-invasive device utilizing plethysmography to measure microvascular flow. Results were reported as the Reactive Hyperemia Index (RHI), indicating post- to pre-occlusion pulsatile volume changes. Results: Baseline characteristics, including body mass index (BMI), plasma lipid levels, hemoglobin and serum albumin were similar in both study groups. All IBD patients were in clinical remission, assessed by standard disease activity scoring methods. Measurements of microvascular function indicated IBD patients exhibited a mean RHI both within the range associated with VD risk in adults (≤1.67) and significantly lower than in controls (IBD vs. Control = 1.66 vs. 2.02, P = 0.036). Conclusions: 1. Microvascular plethysmography is a safe and non-invasive method for assessing microvascular function in children with IBD; 2. Patients with IBD in clinical remission demonstrate an attenuated, post-occlusion microvascular hyperemic response, compared with the normal response in controls. 3. These findings suggest pediatric IBD subjects with a mean RHI within the VD "at risk" range should be monitored for thromboembolic phenomena; 4. Further studies, in a larger patient population and over longer periods should be conducted to validate our findings and to determine the importance of these measurements in guiding IBD management. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Steven M. Schwarz, MD, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children's Hospital at Downstate, SUNY-Downstate Medical Center, 445 Lenox Rd, Box 49, Brooklyn, NY 11203 USA (e-mail: steven.schwarz@downstate.edu). Received 28 August, 2018 Accepted 19 December, 2018 © 2018 by European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition and North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology,

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