Crohn's disease in Saudi Arabia.

We report 17 children with Crohn's disease seen at King Abdulaziz University Jeddah, Saudi Arabia during 1980 to 1990. The ages ranged from 5 to 15 years; 10 cases were boys. The average duration of symptoms prior to presentation was 25 months (range 4 days-4 years). The chief clinical features included abdominal pain in 15 patients, diarrhea in 12, fever in 7, hematochezia in 6, weight loss in 8 and arthralgia in 2 patients. Radiological signs of Crohn's disease involving the terminal ileum and/or the small bowel were seen in 4 of 10 cases. Four cases showed nonspecific inflammation with chronic inflammatory cells and granulomas on bowel and lymph node biopsies. A satisfactory response to therapy with steroids was seen in all cases. Sixteen recurrences were seen in 11 patients; all these recurrences were mild and seen in patients with poor compliance to medication. This study suggests that Crohn's disease is not an uncommon entity in Saudi Arabia. Most cases show satisfactory response to therapy with steroids; however prolonged follow-up is required.

Congenital cardiopathies in Arab children.

661 consecutive children below the age of 14 years underwent open and closed heart surgery at the Saudi Heart Centre during a 4-year period for congenital cardiopathies of simple and complex nature with an average mortality rate of 10.5%. Congenital cardiopathies in Saudi Arabia differ from those seen in the Western world by the relative frequency of cyanotic heart disease, the presence of multiple complex congenital anomalies together, the advanced pulmonary hypertension, a rather aggressive nature of the cardiac diseases, and late referral of the children who often suffer also from congestive heart failure, reduced general condition and a malnutritional state.