An 8-year hospital-based retrospective study on the epidemiology of juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other connective tissue diseases among children in Kuwait is described. There were 108 children with JCA, 20 children with SLE, 23 children with other connective tissue diseases and 24 children with arthritis of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). The average annual incidence of JCA was 2.84 cases/10(5) children under the age of 12 years and the 1988 prevalence was 18.7/10(5). The polyarticular, systemic and oligoarticular onset types were observed in 42, 29 and 29%, respectively. The incidence and prevalence of SLE were 0.53 and 3.37/10(5), respectively. The findings are compared with those from other countries.

Between 1978 and 1988 congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) was diagnosed in 60 children in Kuwait with an estimated prevalence of 1:9,000 livebirths, which is higher than that reported from Europe and Canada. In addition, there was presumptive evidence of CAH resulting in the death of 20 other children, giving a prevalence figure of 1:7000. There were 41 girls (68%) and 19 boys (32%). Thirty-one of the girls (75.6%) and 11 of the boys (57.9%) were saltlosers. Fifty-four patients (90%) were diagnosed as 21-hydroxylase deficient, 3 patients (5%) had a deficiency of the 3 beta-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase enzyme, and 3 patients (5%) showed a deficiency of 11 beta-hydroxylase.

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Presents the results of a medical audit of the records of 199 children diagnosed as diabetic and admitted to Al-Amiri Hospital, Kuwait. Uses the measurement of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) to indicate the levels of control achieved. Finds that the degree of glycaemic control compares favourably with studies done in other hospitals, but unfavourably with specialized diabetic clinics. Proposes that glycaemic control could be improved by provision of the services of specialized support staff such as dietitian, educator, psychologist and health visitor.

A 9-year-old Somali girl was referred to the Paediatric Diabetic Clinic, Al-Amiri Hospital for control of her diabetes. On physical examination, she was found to have several somatic abnormalities and acanthosis nigricans. Biochemical and hormonal investigations revealed no major abnormalities apart from that of glucose metabolism. Insulin resistance was detected early on initiating treatment and, even with high doses, it was impossible to achieve normoglycaemia. This case is similar to other cases described in the literature with insulin resistance and acanthosis nigricans type A.