Presenting features of childhood-onset inflammatory bowel disease in the central region of Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To investigate the presenting features of childhood-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the central region of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and to compare with those reported in the literature.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of medical records of children below 18 years of age at onset of symptoms with confirmed diagnosis of IBD for age, gender, family history, presenting clinical and laboratory findings in the Divisions of Pediatric and Adult Gastroenterology, King Khalid University Hospital (which provides free health care) and the Department of Gastroenterology Al Mofarreh Poly Clinic, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between January 1993 and December 2010.

Results: Two hundred and eighteen children diagnosed with IBD with predominance of males in Crohn's disease (CD) (56%) and females in ulcerative colitis (UC) (59%). There was no significant difference between UC and CD regarding age of onset of symptoms (p=0.347); however, the difference in the age at presentation and age at final diagnosis were significant (p=0.027 and p=0.008). There was a significant increase of IBD diagnosis from the period 1993-2001 to 2002-2010 (p<0.0001). The family history was positive in 15.3%.

Conclusion: The presenting clinical features and laboratory abnormalities are similar to those reported in other populations. Further studies are needed to establish the incidence and prevalence.