Research Information System
Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, vol.68, no.2, pp.288-296, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)
Background. The coexistence of rheumatologic diseases (RD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess the frequency of RD and its clinical impact in pediatric IBD patients. Methods. This retrospective cohort study included pediatric IBD patients followed at the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye between November 2008 and December 2020. Demographic characteristics, disease activity scores, inflammatory markers, and treatment modalities were compared between patients with and without concomitant RD; an additional analysis was performed in the familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) subgroup. Results. A total of 88 patients (35 females, 53 males; median age 14.6 years) were analyzed. RD was identified in 28 patients (31.8%), with FMF being the most frequent (19/28, 67.9%; overall 21.6%). Although patients with RD had lower disease activity at diagnosis (p = 0.010), they required more frequent biologic therapy during follow-up (35.7% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.047). In the FMF subgroup, disease activity scores were significantly lower at diagnosis and higher at the last follow-up compared with patients without RD. There were no significant differences in inflammatory markers between the groups at diagnosis and last follow-up. Conclusions. RD, particularly FMF, is commonly observed in pediatric IBD, with a prevalence of 31.8% for RD and 21.6% for FMF. The presence of RD is associated with an increased need for biologic therapy despite lower initial disease activity. Children with IBD should be systematically evaluated for RD, especially in regions with high MEFV mutation prevalence, to support more personalized management strategies.