Genetically determined neurodegenerative disorders: experiences in Saudi Arabia

Pediatrics inpatients at the King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 1985-1989

A review of admissions into the pediatric wards of the King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, over a four-year period (1985-1989) indentified perinatal problems, acute respiratory infections, congenital anomalies and diseases of the central nervous system, as the major disorders. With the notable exception of nutritional rickets, manlnutrition was rare. The age distribution showed a preponderance of neonates and infants who represented 42.1% and 53.6% of all admissions, respectively. There was a seasonal variation with more patients being admitted during the cool months of November-April than the hot months of May-October, and acute respiratory infections were found to be mostly responsible for this seasonality. Genetic and heredofamilial factors features prominently in the pathogenesis of many of the disorders for which the children were admitted. It is therefore recommended that increased attention be given to neonatology and to genetics and genetic counselling as important components of medical practice in the country. The establishment of a National Institute for Human Genetics is also highly desirable.