Frequency of Endocrine Pathology in Children with IBD and Celiac Disease: Factors Influencing Its Occurrence

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) represent a group of chronic relapsing disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. These conditions are characterized by inflammation of the intestinal wall and lead to intestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and abnormal stool contents, as well as frequent extraintestinal manifestations, including endocrine disorders, musculoskeletal involvement, and lesions of the skin and its appendages. At present, a polyetiological concept of IBD development is widely accepted. The pathogenesis is primarily driven by an idiopathic autoinflammatory process involving both innate and adaptive immune responses, against the background of which alterations in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the gut microbiome, impairment of the intestinal barrier function, and genetic predisposition make a significant contribution. Among extraintestinal manifestations of IBD, particular attention is paid to endocrinopathies, including disorders of the thyroid and pancreas, growth disturbances, and abnormalities of mineral and carbohydrate metabolism. The incidence of IBD is increasing in the pediatric population, which underscores the need for early diagnosis and awareness of age-specific clinical features. Of particular interest are perinatal risk factors for IBD, such as mode of delivery and gestational age, exposure to antibacterial therapy during the perinatal period, maternal passive smoking, and maternal age, which may indirectly influence the development of the child’s microbiota and immune response. IBD and celiac disease share a common genetic predisposition and similar immune-mediated pathogenic mechanisms, including disruption of barrier function, activation of innate and adaptive immunity, microbiome imbalance, and overlapping HLA and non-HLA genetic variants. Both conditions are characterized by comparable extraintestinal manifestations, such as endocrinopathies, delayed physical development, and pancreatic involvement. However, in childhood, data on the specific features of endocrine disorders associated with IBD and celiac disease, as well as on factors contributing to their development, remain limited.