Colorectal polyps: a clinical, endoscopic and pathologic study in Iranian children.
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical presentation, histology and colonoscopic features of lower gastrointestinal polyps in Iranian children.


METHODS
Medical reports of children with colorectal polyps were retrospectively reviewed from 1996 to 2005 at the Children's Medical Center Hospital, Iran. A total of 563 cases were studied. Data related to age, sex, family history, signs and symptoms, the size, location, polyp types and associated lesions were collected and analyzed.


RESULTS
The mean age of children was 5.66 +/- 2.88 years (range 2 months to 17 years), with a male-to-female ratio of 1.61:1.0. The highest incidence was between ages 2 and 10 years (85.1%). Rectal bleeding was the presenting symptom in 78.5% cases. The polyps were solitary in 94% of cases. A majority of polyps (86.3%) were juvenile and 86.7% located in the rectosigmoid area. Three percent of cases had a positive family history. One case of Turcot syndrome was also identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Juvenile polyps remain the most common polyps in Iranian children. Although the presence of a solitary polyp in the rectosigmoid colon is more prevalent, in a significant number of cases they are multiple and located in proximal parts. Polyps must be removed even when asymptomatic because of their probable neoplastic potential.
Haghi Ashtiani
Mohammad Taghi
MT
Department of Pathology, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Medical Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Monajemzadeh
Maryam
M
Motamed
Farzaneh
F
Moradi Tabriz
Hedieh
H
Mahjoub
Fatemeh
F
Karamian
Hamid
H
Najafi Sani
Mehri
M
Khatami
Gholam Reza
GR
Khodadad
Ahmad
A
Farahmand
Fatemeh
F
Fallahi
Gholam Hossein
GH
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012007:Rectum