Mauriac Syndrome in Sudanese Children: An Old Syndrome Still Existing in Resource-Limited Countries

Objective: Mauriac syndrome (MS) is a rare condition linked to inadequate glycemic control in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and has also rarely been reported in patients with neonatal diabetes. MS manifests as growth failure, delayed puberty, cushingoid features, and hepatomegaly. The condition can be associated with complications like dyslipidemia, retinopathy, and nephropathy. The main objective of this study was to describe the magnitude of the condition, clinical features, management, and outcome of Sudanese children and adolescents with MS due to inadequate control of diabetes in our center. Study Design and Methods: This is a cross-sectional hospital-based study. All medical records of patients with MS were reviewed. Data, including demographics, clinical features, investigations, management, and outcome, were obtained. Patients were re-educated and management intensified then followed up. Results: Thirty-seven MS patients were enrolled in this study, with a male predominance of 59.5%. Neonatal diabetes was diagnosed in 5.4% of the patients, while others had T1DM. The median age at diagnosis of MS was 12 years. The diagnosis was based solely on clinical findings, including a history of prolonged unsatisfactory glycemic control, short stature, and hepatomegaly. Regarding the outcome, eight children (21.6%) were lost to follow-up, one patient died (2.7%), seven (18.9%) had a static condition, and those who showed improvement were 21 (56.8%). Signs of improvement were a decrease in liver size with or without an increase in growth velocity. Nephropathy was the most common associated complication; it was seen in 33.3% of our cohort. Some got it at a very young age. Conclusions: Despite many efforts that have been made to achieve better glycemic control in children with T1DM, MS still exists in our setting. Though liver biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis, being invasive, the diagnosis could be made conservatively, based on clinical features and response to treatment. The condition can be reversed with good metabolic control.