Retrospective Evaluation of Intussusception in Under-Five Children in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Assessment of the safety profile of the new rotavirus vaccines in Africa requires base-line epidemiological data on intussusception. Hence, this study was aimed at describing the prevalence and associated factors of intussusception in under-five children in Enugu, Southeast, Nigeria. Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study involving the sixty reported cases of intussusception in under-five children admitted in a hospital in Enugu between 2007 and 2012. Cases of intussusception were selected using the Brighton collaboration intussusception working group level I diagnostic criteria. Information sought from the patients' folders included demo-graphic characteristics and clinical manifestations including history of previous rotavirus vac-cination, duration of illness prior to presentation, diarrhoea, vomiting, passage of red currant jel-ly-like stool, abdominal mass and distension, method of diagnosis, treatment option(s) employed and their outcomes. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0. Results: The majority of the cases were aged less than one year (53; 88.3%) while the average incidence of intussusception was 0.1 per 1000. None of the cases had received rotavirus vaccinations. The common clinical presentations were vomiting, 55 (17.2%), passage of red currant stool 50 (15.6%), fever 50 * Corresponding author. B. N. Tagbo et al. 124 (15.6%) and abnormal/absent bowel sound 43 (15.9%). Diagnosis was essentially with the aid of abdominal ultrasonography, 38 (63.3%) while surgery (laparotomy) was the treatment of choice in most cases 48 (80.0%). The case fatality rate was 3 (5.0%). Conclusion: None of the cases stud-ied could be directly linked to rotavirus vaccinations. But seasonal peak incidence coincided with rotavirus diarrhea peak incidence. Efforts should be made to institute post-rotavirus vaccine li-censure prospective surveillance study in order to fully determine any relationship between rota-virus vaccination and intussusception in Enugu, South east, Nigeria.