Clinical presentation of inflammatory bowel disease in Saudi children (Single centre experience)

Background and objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and indeterminate colitis (IC). IBD is a disorder characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract with frequent relapse and remission courses. There is limited information regarding this disease in Saudi children, despite a rising worldwide incidence of IBD. We aim to study the clinical and demographic characteristics of Saudi children diagnosed with IBD at time of presentation. diagnosis, disease localization, and growth of pediatric IBD patients were compared with international data.

Patients and methods: In this retrospective study, charts of all children under the age of 14 years who were diagnosed with IBD and received follow-up at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) from January 2001 to December 2011 were reviewed.

Results: Sixty-six children were diagnosed with IBD; 36 (54.5%) had Crohn's disease (CD), 27 (41%) had ulcerative colitis (UC), and 3 (4.5%) had indeterminate colitis (IC). A male predominance was demonstrated in both CD (61%) and UC (56.6%). The mean age at diagnosis was 9.3, 7.3, and 7.5 years in CD, UC and IC, respectively. A positive family history was found in 19.7% of all patients. The most common presenting symptoms were diarrhea (89.4%), rectal bleeding (75.8%), and abdominal pain (62%). The most common site affected in CD was the ileocolonic region (41.6%) while pancolitis was predominant in UC (74.1%).

Conclusions: CD is the most prevalent form of IBD in Saudi children. Male predominance and a high rate of growth failure were documented in children with CD. Clinical presentation, family history, and disease localization are comparable to international data.