Growth assessment in Egyptian infants and children with chronic diarrhea

This study evaluated the various growth parameters among patients presenting with chronic diarrhea and highlight the most common causes of chronic diarrhea among a sample of Egyptian infants and children. This cross-sectional study included 146 patients with chronic diarrhea. They were 87 males and 59 females, with age ranging between 2 and 198 months and a mean age of 27.3 +/- 34.5 months. Each patient was subjected to medical history taking including age of onset and duration of diarrhea, consistency of stools, presence of blood and mucus, vomiting with or without hematemesis, fever, allergic manifestations and family history of atopy. Dietetic history included milk feeding during the first 6 months and age of weaning and age of introduction of cow's milk products. Anthropometric measurements included weight and height and weight for height were assessed and z-scores were calculated using software WHO anthro v3.2.2. Laboratory investigations included stool analysis and culture, CBC and all other investigations necessary for diagnosis of the definite cause including RAST for specific IgE against cow's milk proteins, serology for celiac disease (anti-gliadin and anti tTG), Breath hydrogen test, endoscopy (colonoscopy or esophago-gastrodudenoscopy) and histopathologic assessment of endoscopic biopsies. CMA was diagnosed on basis of withdrawal and open re-challenge technique. Causes included chronic infections (40.4%), CMA (34.9%), celiac disease (10.3%), inflammatory bowel disease (6.8%) and lactose intolerance (3.4%). Rare causes were chronic non-specific diarrhea (1.3%), cystic fibrosis (0.7%), post-surgery short bowel syndrome (0.7%), neuroblastoma (0.7%) and IBS (0.7%).78.7% of patients enrolled in the study had a low WFA z-score (< -2), 75% had low length for age z-score (<-2) and 50.7% showed wasting with low weight for height z-scores (< -2). Patients with IBD had the lowest mean value of WFA and HFA z-scores (-4.03 +/- 3.23, -6.31 +/- 3.74 respectively). Infants with CMA had the lowest mean value of WFH z-score (-2.26 +/- 1.78).