Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026
Method of Studying Palatal Fusion using Static Organ Culture
Published on: September 19, 2015
Pattern of cleft lip and palate in hospital-based population in Saudi Arabia: retrospective study
Aziza Aljohar1, Kandasamy Ravichandran, Shazia Subhani
1Dentistry Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
This study analyzed 807 cases of cleft lip and/or palate in Saudi Arabia. The observed patterns, including prevalence and associated anomalies, align with those found in other Arab populations.
Area of Science:
- Medical Genetics
- Pediatric Surgery
- Public Health
Background:
- Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) are common congenital anomalies with diverse etiologies.
- Understanding regional patterns is crucial for targeted healthcare interventions and research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the epidemiological patterns of CL/P in Saudi Arabia.
- To compare these patterns with existing literature on Arab populations.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 807 CL/P cases registered between June 1999 and December 2005.
- Data collected from the Cleft Lip/Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies Registry at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh.
- Analysis included patient demographics, cleft type, family history, consanguinity, and associated anomalies.
Main Results:
- CL/P was more frequent than isolated cleft palate or lip.
- Boys predominated in cleft lip and palate and isolated cleft lip cases.
- Consanguineous marriages and positive family history were noted in a significant proportion of cases; congenital heart disease was the most common associated anomaly.
Conclusions:
- The epidemiological patterns of CL/P in Saudi Arabia are consistent with those reported in other Arab populations.
- Further research into genetic and environmental factors may elucidate specific etiological pathways.
Objective:
To report the patterns of cleft lip and/or cleft palate in Saudi Arabia from data collected at a tertiary care hospital.
Design And Setting:
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh.
Patients:
All the cleft lip and/or cleft palate patients registered in the Cleft Lip/Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies Registry from June 1999 to December 2005.
Results:
Retrospectively, 807 cases of cleft lip and/or palate were registered. There were 451 boys and 356 girls. Cleft lip and palate was more common (387) than isolated cleft palate (294) and isolated cleft lip (122). Boys predominated in cleft lip and palate and cleft lip; whereas, girls predominated in isolated cleft palate, with boy to girl ratios of 1.6:1, 1.2:1, and 0.9:1 for cleft lip and/or palate, isolated cleft lip, and isolated cleft palate, respectively. The Riyadh region had more cases (32.0%) than the Asir (15.6%) and Eastern (14.6%) regions. Parents of 439 individuals had consanguineous marriages. A positive family history of cleft was seen in 224 cases. Of 238 cases with associated anomalies, 91 had congenital heart disease. Of the children with isolated cleft palate, 40.5% had associated anomalies, whereas only 23.0% of the children with isolated cleft lip or cleft lip and palate had associated malformations.
Conclusion:
The pattern of cleft observed in this study does not differ significantly from those reported in the literature for Arab populations.
