title: Inflammatory bowel disease in children, an evolving problem in Kuwait.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was previously thought a rare disease among children in Kuwait since most diarrhea cases were attributed to infections. In the past few years we observed an increase in the number of patients presenting with IBD. In this study we aimed to determine the epidemiology of IBD among children in the State of Kuwait.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of all children with IBD who were referred to the pediatric gastroenterology unit during the period February 1998 to January 2008 were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of a total of 130 children with IBD, 92 (71%) had Crohn's disease, 36 (28%) had ulcerative colitis and two (1%) had indeterminate colitis. The estimated annual incidence for IBD was 2.16/10 5 /year. The age range was nine months-15 years (median: 11 years). Fifty-three percent of all patients were females and 77% were Kuwaiti nationals. Positive family history was found in 23%. The commonest presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (87%) and diarrhea (82%). Failure to thrive was detected in 35% and short stature in 20% at presentation. The ileocolonic region was the most common presentation site affected in Crohn's patients and pancolitis was the commonest in ulcerative colitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammatory bowel disease is not uncommon in our children. We found no differences regarding disease presentation and clinical features compared to the Western world.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait. walqabandi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Wafa'a A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Al-Qabandi
authors.forename: Eman K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Buhamrah
authors.forename: Khaled A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hamadi
authors.forename: Suad A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Al-Osaimi
authors.forename: Ahlam A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Ruwayeh
authors.forename: JohnPatrick
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D017668:Age of Onset; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007730:Kuwait / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution