Seasonality of intussusception in Iraqi children

الملخص EN

Objective: Intussusception is an important cause of intestinal obstruction in children, particularly young infants.

Anecdotal published studies have disclosed variable correlation of seasonality with pediatric intussusception.

The aims of the study were to determine intussusception seasonality in Iraqi children, if any, test the significant influence of age and gender on that seasonality, and compare the results with those reported previously elsewhere.

Methods: We carried out a retrospective study on 285 pediatric intussusceptions admitted to the Children’s Welfare Teaching Hospital in Baghdad between 2013 and 2018.

Data on age, gender, and monthly and seasonal distribution were taken from medical records of the patients.

Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were applied to address and analyze the data respectively.

Results: Summer had the highest rate (30.8%); while fall, spring, and winter had the lower rates (25.3%, 22.1%, and 21.8%, respectively).

Seasonality was statistically correlated with the gender (p=0.048), but not with the age (p=0.678).

Conclusions: The study results showed summer seasonality of intussusception in the studied cohort.

Astute pediatricians and pediatric surgeons should consider the seasonality during evaluating children with the clinical picture suggestive of intussusception.

Large size multicenter studies are needed to verify the study results.