Aetiology of chronic diarrhoea in tropical children.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the causes and presentations of chronic diarrhoea in post-weaned children.


METHODS
Forty seven children (6 months to 12 years) with diarrhoea of more than 2 weeks duration were recruited and subjected to detailed clinical examination and investigations.


RESULTS
Primarily on the basis of history, clinical examination and duodenal biopsy, children could be classified into 5 groups namely tropical enteropathy (46.8%), irritable bowel syndrome (10.6%), giardiasis (14.8%), celiac disease (6.8%) and non specific diarrhoea (21.8%). Children with tropical enteropathy improved with broad spectrum antimicrobial therapy, those with irritable bowel syndrome and non specific chronic diarrhoea with dietary interventions while children with celiac disease required definite withdrawal of gluten from diet.
Rastogi
A
A
Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, India.
Malhotra
V
V
Uppal
B
B
Aggarwal
V
V
Kalra
K K
KK
Mittal
S K
SK
D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003663:Decision Trees; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D014330:Tropical Medicine