Highlights of the virtual World Congress of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition 2021

The 6^th World Congress of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (WCPGHAN) took place, for the first time in its history, fully virtual. Thank you for visiting us at our virtual booth in Vienna. “The congress has attracted 4.411 delegates from 102 countries, 20 exhibitors & 6 sponsors and offered more than 1.000 abstract presenters a stage to present their latest research results – being Together Online.”

Please find here a selection of our WCPGHAN 2021 highlights:

Two outstanding Quantum Blue^® Infliximab posters at WCPGHAN 2021

After 5 years of market presence, comparisons between the ELISA gold standard, which is time consuming, and Quantum Blue^® Infliximab rapid test have shown evidence that Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is feasible, using our rapid quantitative test platform. This makes it an ideal tool for an immediate target concentration adjusted dosing. However, studies including paediatric populations are rare. Vera Lucia Sdepanian and her team presented the very good correlation between the ELISA RIDASCREEN^® IFX Monitoring test and the Quantum Blue^® Infliximab rapid test with patients aged in average 13.7 years, which was very satisfying and also to have specifically chosen the BÜHLMANN Quantum Blue® platform as prime candidate for the rapid testing, having the most straightforward assay procedure.

• G-eP-390: Serum infliximab level in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease: comparative analysis between rapid quantification test and ELISA test

The same team prospectively studied the correlation of the Quantum Blue^® Infliximab with activity indexes of Crohn`s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), colonoscopy and biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin and C-reactive protein. They determined the cut-off point of 1.05 μg/mL for the monitored patient population.

• G-eP-388: Serum infliximab level using rapid test on pediatric inflammatory bowel disease and its correlation with disease activity index, C-reactive protein, fecal calprotectin, and colonoscopy

Interview with Dr. Patrick F. Van Rheenen at the 5^th International Symposium on Paediatric IBD

BÜHLMANN had the great opportunity to interview Dr. Patrick F. Van Rheenen, Head of the Paediatric Unit at the University Medical Center Groningen – Netherlands. For many people around the world, IBD remains an unknown disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease sometimes even an unknown term, although they may have someone in their surroundings suffering from UC or CD, after all in Europe and the US alone about 6 Million people including children are affected. Dr. Patrick F. Van Rheenen explains what IBD is, how diagnosis and monitoring is performed in children, and how biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin and TDM are useful for his daily work.

We created a short video with the highlights of the interview:

Updated ECCO-ESPGHAN Guidelines

Dr. Van Rheenen is one of the most renowned IBD paediatrician and he is working to improve the IBD guidelines. He presented the most recent updated ECCO-ESPGHAN Guideline during the 6^th WCPGHAN.

The Guidelines contain two statements in regard of calprotectin and two statements concerning TDM: