Baseline characteristics per treatment group
| FL-IFX (n=49) | Conventional (n=50) | |
| Age at diagnosis (years) | 15.1 (11.9–16.6) | 14.1 (11.3–16.1) |
| Male sex (n) | 24 (49.0%) | 27 (54.0%) |
| Height (cm) | 166 (154–175) | 161 (143–170) |
| Height-for-age (SDS) | −0.07 (−0.84 to 0.76) | −0.53 (−1.06 to 0.26) |
| Weight (kg) | 47.3 (36.8–57.1) | 44.7 (30.3–55.0) |
| Tanner stage | 4 (2–5)* | 3 (1–4)* |
| wPCDAI | 57.5 (47.5–67.5) | 57.5 (47.5–73.8) |
| CRP (mg/L) | 32.0 (11.5–46.5) | 38.0 (22.0–65.9) |
| ESR (mm/hour) | 35.0 (26.0–47.5) | 32.0 (21.5–52.0)† |
| SES-CD | 18.0 (11–26)† | 18.0 (9–23) |
| Leucocytes (109/L) | 8.2 (7.3–10.7) | 9.1 (6.8–11.9) |
| Faecal calprotectin (µg/g) | 1114 (763–1869) | 1086 (592–1661) |
| Perianal disease‡ | 5 (10%) | 9 (18%) |
| Paris classification | ||
| Age at diagnosis (years) | ||
| <10 | 4 (8%) | 9 (18%) |
| 10–17 | 39 (80%) | 37 (74%) |
| 17–40 | 6 (12%) | 4 (8%) |
| Disease location | ||
| L1 | 12 (25%) | 11 (22%) |
| L2 | 11 (22%) | 12 (24%) |
| L3 | 25 (51%) | 27 (54%) |
| Isolated L4 | 1 (2%) | – |
| Upper disease location | ||
| No upper GI | 29 (59%) | 25 (50%) |
| L4a | 19 (39%) | 21 (42%) |
| L4b | 1 (2%) | 4 (8%) |
| Disease behaviour | ||
| B1 | 46 (94%) | 43 (86%) |
| B2 | 3 (6%) | 7 (14%) |
| B3 | – | – |
| B2B3 | – | – |
| Growth delay | 0 (0%)† | 2 (4%) |
| Time between diagnostic endoscopy and start of treatment (days) | 9 (5–14) | 7 (2–14) |
Data are presented as n (%) or median (IQR).
Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between treatment groups.
*>1 missing data point.
†One missing data point.
‡Perianal disease comprised inactive fistula, skin tags or anal fissures.
CRP, C reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; FL-IFX, first-line infliximab; SDS, SD score; SES-CD, Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease; wPCDAI, weighted Paediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index.