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Other Causes of Chronic Diarrhea in Children

Malathi Sathiyasekaran1, R Ganesh2, Suresh Natarajan3

  • 1Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Rainbow Children's Hospital, Chennai, 600015, Tamil Nadu, India.

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|December 5, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Uncommon causes of chronic diarrhea in children, including immune deficiencies and tumors, are often overlooked. Early consideration and evaluation of these rare conditions are crucial for effective treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Internal Medicine
  • Clinical Diagnosis

Background:

  • Chronic diarrhea significantly impacts child morbidity and mortality.
  • Etiologies range from intestinal and extra-intestinal to systemic diseases.
  • Causes vary with age, encompassing common and rare disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight uncommon causes of chronic diarrhea in pediatric patients.
  • To emphasize the importance of considering rare etiologies in diagnosis.
  • To guide evaluation and therapy for these less frequent conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of literature on uncommon causes of pediatric chronic diarrhea.
  • Inclusion of specific rare disorders like immune deficiencies, lymphangiectasias, and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders.
  • Discussion of drug-induced, endocrinopathic, tumor-related, and factitious diarrhea.

Main Results:

  • Identified several uncommon disorders contributing to chronic diarrhea.
  • Included immune deficiencies, intestinal lymphangiectasias, drug-induced diarrhea, eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders, endocrinopathies, neuroendocrine tumors, malignancy, and factitious diarrhea.
  • Emphasized the need for consideration in specific clinical scenarios.

Conclusions:

  • Uncommon disorders are essential considerations in diagnosing chronic diarrhea in children.
  • Prompt evaluation of these rare conditions is necessary for appropriate management.
  • Definitive therapy can be offered once these uncommon etiologies are identified.

Keywords:
ChildrenChronicDiarrheaDrugsEndocrinopathiesImmunodeficiency

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