![Johan Van Limbergen 2019](/images/1_About_ECCO/1_4_ECCO_Operational_Board/1_4_6_P-ECCO/Johan_Van_Limbergen_2019.jpg) Johan Van Limbergen © ECCO
|
![Konstantinos Gerasimidis wrc 2015](/images/1_About_ECCO/1_4_ECCO_Operational_Board/D-ECCO%20WG/Konstantinos_Gerasimidis_wrc_2015.jpg) Konstantinos Gerasimidis © ECCO
|
Johan Van Limbergen1,2, Konstantinos Gerasimidis3
Crohn’s Disease (CD) is increasing in incidence worldwide [1]. In spite of increased use of immune suppression, which has markedly changed the need for in-hospital care, paediatric CD remains associated with considerable morbidity as well as increased mortality [2, 3]. The onset of disease in childhood and adolescence often interferes with growth and development, both physically and psychologically. In a subset of patients, the progressive nature of disease may be associated with a fibrotic phenotype that does not respond adequately to the currently available immune suppressive medications, yet use of these medications is still associated with increased risk of myelosuppression, opportunistic infections, immune-mediated phenomena and malignancy [2, 4–6].