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Burden of congenital and hereditary anomalies in the war-affected territory at Pakistan–Afghanistan border Cover

Burden of congenital and hereditary anomalies in the war-affected territory at Pakistan–Afghanistan border

Open Access
|Aug 2023

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Map of Pakistan showing major provincial divisions (A) with a zoom-in map of FATA (B) depicting 7 districts from north to south: 1. Bajaur; 2. Mohmand; 3. Khyber; 4. Orakzai; 5. Kurram; 6. North Waziristan; and 7. South Waziristan. Data were collected from 4 northern districts (1–4) (modified from the source: https://worldmapblank.com/blank-map-of-pakistan/). FATA, Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Table 1.

Demographic attributes of recruited individuals

VariableMaleFemaleTotal
N%N%N%
Age range (years)*
  Up to 99937.15760.615643.2
  >9–1911041.22930.913938.5
  >195821.788.56618.3
  Total267100.094100.0361100.0
Origin*
  Rural22684.67883.030484.2
  Urban4115.41617.05715.8
Caste system
  Masozai12044.95053.217047.1
  Tarkalani4918.41819.16718.6
  Afridi269.722.1287.8
  Uthman Khel166.044.3205.5
  Others5621.02021.37621.1
Literacy level (age >5 years)
  Illiterate12755.94664.817358.1
  Literate10044.12535.212541.9
Family type
  Nuclear21580.57377.728879.8
  Extended or joint5219.52122.37320.2

* Differences in distribution were statistically highly significant.

Table 2.

Distribution of major categories of anomalies with respect to familial or sporadic nature, isolated or syndromic presentations, and parental consanguinity

Anomaly typeTotalFamilial or sporadic nature*Isolated or syndromic*Parental marriage type*
N%SporadicFamilialIsolatedSyndromicConsanguineousNonconsanguineous
Neurological disorders10027.7831749512674
Sensorineural defects7019.448226373337
Limb defects6016.65195281446
Eye or visual impairments5515.24694871837
Musculoskeletal defects3710.22982981621
Ectodermal anomalies133.6498576
Blood disorders123.321012066
Others143.9131140311
Total N (%)361 (100)100276 (76)85 (24)275 (76)86 (24)123 (34)238 (66)

* Differences in distribution were statistically highly significant.

Table 3.

Distribution of major categories of anomalies with respect to gender of index cases and total affected individuals in all families

Anomaly typeTotalIndex individualTotal affected in all families
N%MaleFemaleMalesFemalesTotal
Neurological disorders10027.77921422567
Sensorineural defects7019.44822513081
Limb defects6016.64119582280
Eye or visual impairments5515.2469542579
Musculoskeletal defects3710.22611462268
Ectodermal anomalies133.6678951140
Blood disorders123.3111533083
Others143.910410515
Total N (%)361 (100)100267 (74)94 (23)403 (66)210 (34)613 (100)

* Differences in distribution were statistically highly significant.

Table 4.

Major and minor categories of anomalies, proportions, and classification

Anomalies (major or minor)NProportion95% CIICD-10OMIM
Neurological disorders1000.2770.231–0.323
ID – all580.1610.123–0.199
ID – mild270.0750.048–0.102F70249500
ID – moderate180.0500.027–0.072F71
ID – severe or profound130.0360.017–0.055F72, F73611091
Cerebral palsy160.0440.023–0.066G80.9605388
Down syndrome110.0300.013–0.048Q90.9190685
Epilepsy60.0170.003–0.030G40607208
Neuropathy30.008−0.001 to 0.018G60605253
Alzheimer disease10.003−0.003 to 0.008F00.1104300
Microcephaly10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q02251200
Multiple sclerosis10.003−0.003 to 0.008G35126200
Spastic paraplegia10.003−0.003 to 0.008G82.1182600
Spina bifida10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q05182940
Tremor10.003−0.003 to 0.008G25.0190300
Sensorineural defects700.1940.153–0.235
Deaf–mute480.1330.098–0.168H90304500
Mute only190.0530.030–0.076R47.0
Stuttering30.008−0.001 to 0.018F98.5184450
Limb defects600.1660.128–0.205
Talipes or clubfoot130.0360.017–0.055Q66.9119800
Limb amputations120.0330.015–0.052Q73.8217100
Polydactyly (poly.; all)80.0220.007–0.037
Poly., preaxial type I40.0110.000–0.022Q69.1174400
Poly., postaxial type A30.008−0.001 to 0.018Q69.0;Q69.2174200
Poly., postaxial type B10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q69.0;Q69.2174200
Syndactyly (synd.; all)80.0220.007–0.037
Synd., type 1c30.008−0.001 to 0.018Q70.1
Synd., type 1a20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q70.3609815
Synd., type II20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q70.4186000
Synd., type 1d10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q70.2
Contractures50.0140.002–0.026M21.8259450
Brachydactyly, 4th toe20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q72.8113475
Oligodactyly20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q73.8176240
Split-hand split-foot20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q72.7183600
Brachy-mesophalangy10.003−0.003 to 0.008112800
Camptodactyly10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q68.1114200
Clinodactyly10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q74.0
Constriction ring10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q79.8217100
Leg length discrepancy10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q72.9
Overriding toe10.003−0.003 to 0.008
Radial hemimelia10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q71.8114500
Ulnar hemimelia10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q71.8
Eye or visual impairments550.1520.115–0.189
Squint eye (esotropia)170.0470.025–0.069H50.0185100
Squint eye (exotropia)70.0190.005–0.034H50.1
Blindness140.0390.019–0.059H54.0
High myopia130.0360.017–0.055H52.1160700
Anophthalmia20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q11.1
Color blindness10.003−0.003 to 0.008H53.5303800
Congenital nystagmus10.003−0.003 to 0.008H55617297
Musculoskeletal defects370.1020.071–0.134
Dwarfisms80.0220.007–0.037Q77.4100800
Muscular atrophy70.0190.005–0.034G12.1253300
Muscular dystrophy70.0190.005–0.034G71.0310200
Kyphoscoliosis40.0110.000–0.022M41.9610170
Congenital hip dislocation30.008−0.001 to 0.018Q65142700
Kyphosis20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q76.4
Mucopolysaccharidosis10.003−0.003 to 0.008E76.3607014
Pectus carinatum10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q67.7245600
Pectus excavatum10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q67.6600399
Rickets10.003−0.003 to 0.008E83.3277440
Spinal muscular atrophy10.003−0.003 to 0.008G12.1253300
Torticollis10.003−0.003 to 0.008M43.6189600
Ectodermal anomalies130.0360.017–0.055
Ectodermal dysplasia30.008−0.001 to 0.018Q82.4224900
Anonychia20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q84.3206800
Early tooth decay20.006−0.002 to 0.013K02
Ichthyosis20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q80.1602400
Albinism10.003−0.003 to 0.008E70.3300500
Dentinogenesis imperfecta10.003−0.003 to 0.008K00.5125490
Eczema10.003−0.003 to 0.008L20603165
Epidermolysis10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q81.2226600
Blood disorders120.0330.015–0.052
Thalassemia (major = 8; intermedia = 1)90.0250.009–0.041D56.1613985
Hemophilia30.008−0.001 to 0.018D66306700
Others140.0390.019–0.059
Cleft palate40.0110.000–0.022Q35119540
Heart septal defect30.008−0.001 to 0.018Q24.9600001
Lymphedema20.006−0.002 to 0.013Q82.0153100
Urogenital defect30.008−0.001 to 0.018Q62617641
Cleft lip10.003−0.003 to 0.008Q36119530
Enuresis10.003−0.003 to 0.008R32600631
Total3611.0001.000–1.000

[i] CIs, confidence intervals; ICD-10, International Classification of Disease; ID, Intellectual disability; OMIM, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man.

Table 5.

Syndromic cases with a combination of associated anomalies

Major anomalyAssociated anomaly
Deaf–muteEye or visual impairmentsCerebral palsyEpilepsyGrowth retardationPolydactylyClub footOligodactylyContractureSyndactylyOthersTotal
Neurological disorders30871248
Sensorineural defects1157
Limb defects122229
Eye or visual impairments25119
Musculoskeletal defects22138
Ectodermal defects123
Others11
Total3516712132211585
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/abm-2022-2033 | Journal eISSN: 1875-855X | Journal ISSN: 1905-7415
Language: English
Page range: 299 - 309
Published on: Aug 1, 2023
Published by: Chulalongkorn University
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

© 2023 Muhammad Naeem, Bashir Ahmad, Sajid Malik, published by Chulalongkorn University
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.