ABSTRACT
Crohn's disease occur mainly in adults. However, pediatric onset forms are not rare and have many characteristics.To study clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and evolutive characteristics of crohn's disease in tunisian children. Retrospective multicenter study conducted in 10 pediatric departments on a period of 10 years [2000-2008]. 43 children were included. The sex-ratio was 1.68. The mean age at the onset of the symptoms was 11 +/- 2.3 years [5-16 years]. The age of onset was inferior to 10 years in 25% of the children. The delay before management was superior to 1 year in 25% of cases. The initial symptoms were dominated by diarrhea [95%]. Perineal manifestations were present at diagnosis in 30% of children and extra-digestive manifestations in 53%. Ileocolonic localization was the most frequent [46%]. The initial disease flare was moderate in 83% of cases. The treatment was medical in 77% of cases, nutritional and medical in 18.5%. Maintenance therapy was instituted in 86% of cases and consisted essentiallay in azathioprin [62%]. The mean follow-up was 3 years and 4 months. 60% of the children had at least one acute flare. During evolution, 7% of children had anoperineal surgery and 11% an intestinal resection. Crohn's disease seems rare in Tunisia. The time of diagnosis is often delayed. The management is based on immunosuppressive therapy and nutritional support
ABSTRACT
To analyze the clinical features and course of Kawasaki disease in central Tunisia. We studied retrospectively 14 cases of children with Kawasaki disease collected in Tunisian center during three years [2000-2002]. The study is about II boys and 3 girls [sex - ratio: 3.6/I] aged from 6 months to 8 years [mean age: 4 years]. Twelve patients had at least 5 diagnostic criteria of the illness, the two others had an incomplete form. We noted cardiac complications in seven patients treated belatedly, beyond 10 days of progression, because of atypical clinical presentations. All patients had all a middle caliber coronary aneurysm that was complicated by a thrombus in three cases, associated with pericarditis and minimal mitral insufficiency in a case and with a cardiac rhythm disturbance [block of branch] in another cease. Besides the cardiac complications, several other visceral manifestation could be noted: joint symptoms in five cases, GI tract symptoms in three cases, neuro-meningeal in two cases and urinary tract symptoms in two other cases. Specific treatment [aspirin with anti-inflammatory dose and intravenous immune globulin [IVIG]] has been instituted in all patients. The course was favorable for 12 patients with fast regression of clinical manifestation and progressive normalisation of biologic values. Two patients did not respond to the initial IVIG treatment, and had to recense received an additional course of IGIV but without clinical nor biological improvement. These two patients were treated with corticosteroids. Cardiac lesions disappeared completely in all patients even for those with thrombosis and in patients with IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease. Only one patient had kept neurologic sequellae: aphasia, bevavioral problem's and partial epilepsy. Kawasaki disease is not rare in our region. Incomplete or atypical presentations are frequent and are a source of diagnostic delay. Coronary aneurysm due to the delay of treatment often regresses even in patients with IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease