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Comparative Study
. 2019 Jul-Aug;25(4):257-261.
doi: 10.4103/sjg.SJG_457_18.

Diagnostic delay of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease in Saudi Arabia

Mohammad I El Mouzan  1 , Badr I AlSaleem  2 , Mohammed Y Hasosah  3 , Abdulrahman A Al-Hussaini  2 , Aziz H Al Anazi  3 , Omar I Saadah  4 , Ahmed A Al Sarkhy  5 , Mohammad A Al Mofarreh  6 , Asaad A Assiri  7
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Diagnostic delay of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease in Saudi Arabia

Mohammad I El Mouzan et al. Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2019 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Background/aim: Delay in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with complications. Our aim was to describe the pattern and risk factors associated with delay in the diagnosis of IBD in Saudi children.

Patients and methods: This was a multicenter study with a retrospective/prospective design. Data on diagnostic delay in children with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) were retrieved from physician's notes. Multivariate regression analysis was used to assess the risk factors associated with long delay in diagnosis.

Results: There were 240 and 183 Saudi children with CD and UC, respectively. The median delays in diagnosis were 8 and 5 months in CD and UC, respectively, significantly longer in children with CD than UC (P < 0.001). Long diagnostic delays (>75th percentile) were 24 and 8.8 months for CD and UC, respectively. Ileal location was a significant risk factor in CD and the age of onset above 10 years was protective in UC.

Conclusions: Long diagnostic delay in IBD was mainly due to the longer delay in gastroenterologist consultation. Review of the referral system is needed to focus on measures to reduce long delays in diagnosis. The ileal location as a risk factor in CD and age older than 10 years as protective in UC should help recognition and early referral.

Keywords: Crohn's disease; diagnostic delay; ulcerative colitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

None

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Time intervals of diagnostic delay. The figure illustrates significantly longer median total diagnostic delay in children with CD than in those with UC (P< 0.001). This delay was mainly due to the significant difference in Interval I delay (P= 0.001). Interval I, was significantly longer in children with CD (P< 0.001 than UC (P= 0.008)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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