title: Rectal bleeding in Egyptian children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a prospective study to outline the aetiology of bleeding per rectum (BPR) in Egyptian infants and children, a subsidiary aim was to define some of the clinical characteristics of the different aetiologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  194 children with BPR are described. The diagnostic work-up included laboratory investigations, radiological and endoscopic assessment, radio-isotope scanning, angiography and histopathological examination of mucosal biopsies, as appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ages ranged from 3 to 192 months with a mean (SD) of 49.8 (43.5). Infectious enterocolitis was the most common cause (37.1%). Others included colorectal polyps (21.1%), chronic colitis (16%) including inflammatory bowel diseases (5.2%), allergic colitis (2.6%), solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (1.5%) and non-specific colitis (6.7%). Intussusception and Meckel's diverticulae were the cause in 7.3% and 2.6%, respectively, while other aetiologies included vascular (6.2%), systemic (3.6%), local anal (3.1%) and upper gastro-intestinal causes (1.5%). In 1.5% of cases, the cause remained 'obscure'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Egyptian children, infectious enterocolitis followed by colorectal polyps and chronic colitis are major causes of BPR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hamed A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: El-Khayat
authors.forename: Mostafa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El-Hodhod
authors.forename: Fatma Z
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Abd El-Basset
authors.forename: Hoda Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tomoum
authors.forename: Hisham A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: El-Safory
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hamdy
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003092:Colitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003938:Diagnostic Techniques, Digestive System; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications; D004760:Enterocolitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D007417:Intestinal Polyps / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012007:Rectum