COELIAC DISEASE IN CHILDREN PRESENTING WITH FAILURE TO THRIVE

Authors

  • Muhammad Asim Ikram
  • Aisha Sajid
  • Sadia Hameed
  • Kashan Arshad
  • Irshad -ul- Haq

Abstract

Background: Coeliac disease used to be considered as a disease of European and Western populationbut now it has emerged as a global problem. Objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency andmode of presentation of coeliac disease in children presenting with failure to thrive. Methods: Thiscross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Paediatrics Department of Madina TeachingHospital in collaboration with Histopathology Department of University Medical and Dental College,Faisalabad over a period from April 2010 to March 2011. A total of 60 children, aged 4–6 yearspresenting as failure to thrive according to their height and weight, were included. Relevantinvestigations were done along with radiological assessment of bone age. The jejunal biopsy was takenin all the patients. Children who were suffering from primary or secondary malnutrition due to otherchronic illnesses and malabsorptive syndromes were excluded from the study. The data was analysedusing SPSS-17. Chi-square test was used and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Total 60children, 4–16 years of age were included in the study. Twenty-four (40%) children were diagnosed ascoeliac disease by jejunal biopsy showing Marsh Grade-3. Male/female ration was 1.5:1. The mostfrequent symptom among these coeliac patients was abdominal distension (75%, p=0.041), followed bypallor. (71%, p=0.048). Anaemia (Hb<12 gm/dl) was found in all 24 patients. Conclusion: Coeliacdisease is increasingly being recognised as presenting with atypical presentation like short stature,failure to thrive, unexplained anaemia, rickets, abdominal distension and abdominal pain.Keywords: Coeliac disease, Failure to thrive, Mixed Deficiency Anaemia

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Published

2011-12-01

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