title: Aetiology of chronic diarrhoea in children: experience at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Forty-eight cases of chronic diarrhoea in children seen at King Khalid University Hospital over a 5-year period were analysed. The mean age at presentation was 1.8 years (range 0.08-10 years); 34 were boys and 14 girls. Forty-four patients were Saudi and four were non-Saudi Arabs. Most children presented with failure to thrive and pallor. The aetiological factors identified were: the post-gastro-enteritis syndrome with or without lactose intolerance in 16 (33%); coeliac disease in ten (21%); congenital chloride diarrhoea in five (10%); glucose-galactose malabsorption and acrodermatitis enteropathica, each in three (6%); ulcerative colitis, intestinal lymphangiectasia, cow's milk protein intolerance and ataxia telangiectasia, each in two (4%); and giardiasis, immune deficiency and cystic fibrosis, each in one (2%). Five children died.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abdullah
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007583:Jejunum / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012529:Saudi Arabia