Chronic non-specific diarrhoea in childhood: how often is it iatrogenic?
Epidemiological data, the appropriateness of the medical approach, the effectiveness of unrestricted diet and the subsequent course of chronic non-specific diarrhoea (CNSD) were evaluated in 20 children, mean age at diagnosis 4.7 y, and mean duration of diarrhoea 24 months. A mean of 2.4 previous hospital admissions and a mean of 2.5 diagnoses other than CNSD were recorded per child before admission. On admission, 14/20 were following an elimination diet and 8/20 had an inadequate caloric intake; 16/20 had a weight/height ratio below the 50th percentile. In all cases a normal diet prescribed during hospitalization improved the diarrhoea and increased weight. A telephone interview performed 5.6 y after discharge revealed that in 10/20 of the cases, the parents were disappointed with the unrestricted diet prescribed during hospitalization. Nevertheless they reported that CNSD stopped spontaneously in a mean time of 1.7 y.
Boehm
P
P
Department of Clinical Paediatrics, Istituto per l'Infanzia Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
Nassimbeni
G
G
Ventura
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003625:Data Collection; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution