Paediatric endocrine disorders as seen at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital over a ten-year period

Abstract

Background: In most developing countries, data on the prevalence and distribution of paediatric endocrine disorders is lacking.

Objective: To describe the pattern of endocrine disorders seen in the Department of Child Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Nigeria between 2004 to 2013.

Methods: In this retrospective study, the case files of children seen in the paediatric endocrinemetabolic clinic and those admitted into the wards at the UBTH, Benin City from January, 2004 to December, 2013 were audited.
Information obtained included age at presentation, gender, principal complaints, and final diagnosis. For those who were admitted, the
outcome was noted. The hospital’s paediatric clinic register was examined to obtain the total number of new cases seen during the period under review.

Results: A total of 13,735 new cases were seen in the Department of Child Health, UBTH during the ten-year period under review and 99 (0.72%) of these had endocrine disorders. The frequencies of the four leading groups of endocrine disorders seen were as follows: diabetes mellitus 17.2%; disorders  of sex development 13.8%; disorders of the thyroid gland  12.1%; and disorders of energy balance 11.2%. Short stature was a rare
presenting complaint.

Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus and disorders involving sex development,
thyroid gland, energy balance and pubertal development were the five leading groups of childhood endocrine disorders encountered in our clinical practice in UBTH.

Key words: endocrine disorders, clinical pattern, children, hospital, Nigeria.