A photo of Maisam Abu-El-Haija.

Maisam A. Abu-El-Haija, MD, MS


  • Medical Director, Pancreas Care Center
  • Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Associate Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics
Each of my patients and their families has unique needs, which need to be taken into account when making treatment decisions. What works for one patient may not work for another.
Maisam A. Abu-El-Haija, MD, MS

About

Biography

I was inspired to pursue my career by children and knowing that their growth and health are so essential for them to reach their best potential. I enjoy making people feel better, and I believe in open communication between the provider and the family.

As a gastroenterologist, I specialize in pancreatic diseases, pancreatitis, growth and nutrition, and general gastroenterology-related diseases. Each of my patients and their families has unique needs, which need to be taken into account when making treatment decisions. What works for one patient may not work for another. I use evidence-based treatments and engage my patients in my thinking and decision-making, which is vital to the success of treatment.

I have won many awards, including the Clinical Care Achievement Award from Cincinnati Children’s. This award is for excellence in care provided to gastroenterology and pancreas patients.

In my research, I am focused on acute pancreatitis, predictive models for severe pancreatitis and diabetes that occurs after acute pancreatitis. I’m also actively working on research in acute recurrent chronic pancreatitis and total pancreatectomy islet auto-transplantation arenas.

In my free time I like to travel mostly, to explore new beaches when I can. My hobbies include exercise and doing outdoor activities with my family. I enjoy cooking with my children and trying new recipes without making a mess in the kitchen!

MBBS: Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Jordan, 2003.

Residency: Pediatrics, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, 2009.

Fellowship: Pediatric Gastroenterology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, 2012.

Services and Specialties

Gastroenterology GI, Pancreas Care

Research Areas

Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition, Global Health

Additional Languages

Arabic

Insurance Information

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Publications

Pancreas volumes in pediatric patients following index acute pancreatitis and acute recurrent pancreatitis. Fortson, BL; Abu-El-Haija, M; Mahalingam, N; Thompson, TL; Vitale, DS; Trout, AT. Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.]. 2024; 24:1-5.

High Rate of Islets Autoimmunity in Pediatric Patients with Index Admission of Acute Pancreatitis. Tatum, JD; Hornung, L; Bellin, MD; Elder, DA; Thompson, T; Vitale, DS; Wasserfall, CH; Shah, AS; Abu-El-Haija, M. Pediatric Diabetes. 2023; 2023:1-9.

Temporal Analysis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Pancreatitis Co-Occurrence in Children and Adults in the United States. Zhang, KY; Siddiqi, I; Saad, M; Balabanis, T; Dehghan, MS; Nasr, A; Tolj, V; Habtezion, A; Park, KT; Abu-El-Haija, M; et al. Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology. 2023; 14:e00628.

Prevalence of islet cell autoimmunity in paediatric patients in index cases of acute pancreatitis. Tatum, J; Hornung, L; Vitale, D; Bellin, M; Wasserfall, C; Thompson, T; Shah, A; Abu-El-Haija, M. Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.]. 2023; 23:e34.

Endocrine Management and Clinical Outcomes in a Cohort of Pediatric Patients Undergoing Total Pancreatectomy with Islet Autotransplantation. Tellez, SE; Hornung, LN; Vitale, DS; Lawson, SA; Abu-El-Haija, MA; Elder, DA. Diabetes Technology and Therapeutics. 2023; 25:800-807.

Bone health in children with recurrent and chronic pancreatitis: A multi-center cross sectional analysis. Abu-El-Haija, M; Hornung, L; Ellery, K; Fishman, DS; Gonska, TY; Gariepy, C; Lowe, M; Larson Ode, K; Maqbool, A; Mascarenhas, M; et al. Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.]. 2023; 23:755-760.

Acute pancreatitis is associated with gut dysbiosis in children. Dike, C; Ollberding, N; Thompson, T; Kotha, N; Minar, P; Vitale, D; Lin, T; Nasr, A; Denson, L; Haslam, D; et al. Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.]. 2023; 23:e3-e4.

Extra-pancreatic manifestations in pancreatitis - an international survey report. Dike, C; Sun, QK; Rahib, L; Golden, M; Abu-El-Haija, M. Pancreatology : official journal of the International Association of Pancreatology (IAP) ... [et al.]. 2023; 23:e52.

Pediatric Drug-Associated Pancreatitis Reveals Concomitant Risk Factors and Poor Reliability of Causality Scoring: Report From INSPPIRE. Morinville, VD; Husain, SZ; Wang, F; Cress, GA; Abu-El-Haija, M; Chugh, A; Downs, E; Ellery, K; Fishman, DS; Freeman, AJ; et al. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 2023; 77:540-546.

Association of pancreatic fat on imaging with pediatric metabolic co-morbidities. Swauger, SE; Fashho, K; Hornung, LN; Elder, DA; Thapaliya, S; Anton, CG; Trout, AT; Abu-El-Haija, M. Pediatric Radiology: roentgenology, nuclear medicine, ultrasonics, CT, MRI. 2023; 53:2030-2039.

From the Blog

Cincinnati Children’s Doctor and Patient Honored at National Pancreas Foundation Gala
Digestive System

Cincinnati Children’s Doctor and Patient Honored at National Pancreas Foundation Gala

Maisam A. Abu-El-Haija, MD, MS4/21/2023

Vitamin A May Reduce Pancreatitis Risk During ALL Treatment
Cancer

Vitamin A May Reduce Pancreatitis Risk During ALL Treatment

Maisam A. Abu-El-Haija, MD, MS, Mayur Sarangdhar, PhD ...3/15/2023

Stomach Pain and Acute Pancreatitis
Blog Rare and Complex Conditions

Stomach Pain and Acute Pancreatitis: Questions To Ask Your Child’s Doctor

By Maisam Abu-El-Haija, MD3/31/2016

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4.6
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