About the project
Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (P-IBD) includes ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and inflammatory bowel disease unclassified in patients under 18 years of age.
When pediatric patients are diagnosed with P-IBD it is often after months of experiencing symptoms like abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. The diagnosis of IBD can be detrimental in the vulnerable childhood and teenage years. They become ill during a critical period for growth and puberty, education, and the establishment of social relationships.
Increase in pediatric IBD
The incidence rates of P-IBD reported in Scandinavia are among the highest in the world.
Relatively large changes in occurrence both geographically and over a short period of time indicate significant contributions from environmental factors.
Observational studies of large, unselected cohorts are well suited to describe the development of relatively rare diseases like P-IBD, and there are few pediatric IBD populations - based studies internationally.
Third generation IBSEN
IBSEN III is the third Norwegian population – based study that examines incidence of P-IBD with a longitudinal design.
The first study (The IBSEN study) has more than 30 years of follow-up from the time of diagnosis. The IBSEN III study has now included a new generation children and adolescents with a follow – up after 1, 3, 5, and 10 years.
Additionally, all clinical data and tests are repeated on a new generation of pediatric patients exposed to new environmental factors and new treatment options.
The data collected includes clinical examination and pediatric assessment, colonoscopy, biological samples including blood and feces, and mucosal biopsies, disease extent and disease activity, as well as medical treatment.
Aim of research
The aim of the study is to estimate the current incidence of P-IBD in South-East Norway and describe new characteristics of the disease that may explain changes in incidence.
A secondary aim is to compare outcome of disease in regard of newer treatment options compared with the earlier Norwegian pediatric population-based IBD studies.