Paediatric endocrine disorders at a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The global increase in paediatric endocrine disorders (PED) is thought to be a result of multiple factors including changing lifestyles, environmental pollution and increasing awareness and diagnostic capabilities. Studies on the prevalence of paediatric endocrine disorders in the developing world are few. A preliminary audit of PED at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital two years ago revealed type 1 diabetes mellitus as the commonest diagnosis. Since then many more children with PED continue to be referred from various centres.Objective: The aim of the present study was to describe the burden and pattern paediatric endocrine disorders over a three-year period.Subjects and Methods: Records of patients who presented in the paediatric endocrine unit between March 2017 and March 2020 were reviewed and relevant data on age at presentation, sex and diagnosis were extracted.Results: A total of 172 patients representing 0.45% of the total paediatric patients seen within the period. There were more females 90(52.3%) than males 79(45.9%) and three patients (1.7%) presented with disorders of sexual differentiation. Age of presentation ranged between 11 days and 16 years with mean of 6.27 ± 4.5 years. The commonest groups of endocrine disorders were disorders of pancreas/lipids-diabetes (n=33, 19.2%), pubertal disorders (n=25, 14.5%) and thyroid disorders (n=24, 14.0%).Conclusion: Our unit witnessed a comparatively larger case-load of PEDs compared to earlier reports from other parts of Nigeria. Diabetes mellitus, pubertal and thyroid disorders constituted the commonest paediatric endocrine disorders encountered.