Juvenile polyp and polyposis syndrome: Experience at a tertiary hospital of Bangladesh

Objectives: Evaluation of clinical spectrum, laboratory profile, histology and colonoscopic features of juvenile polyp and polyposis syndrome.

Method: This is a retrospective observational study and we reviewed medical records of 77 children who were diagnosed as juvenile polyp and polyposis syndrome.

Results: Mean age of study subjects was 5.6±2.4 years. The male to female ratio was 1.75: 1.0. Among a total of 77 patients, juvenile polyp was present in 71 (92%) and polyposis syndrome in 6 (8%). Peak age of presentation was from 2 to 5 years. Main presenting complaints were per rectal bleeding (100%), pallor (37.7%), prolapsed polyp (6.5%), abdominal pain (9.1%) and fever (2.6%). About 38% children had low haemoglobin and 25% had high erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Histopathologically, 98.8% had hamartomatous polyps and 1.2% had adenomatous polyps. In the juvenile polyp group, male-female ratio was 2.1:1 and mean age was 5.5±2.3 years. Mean duration of bleeding 6.4±3.4 months. Solitary polyp was found in 73.2% and multiple polyps in 26.8%. About 83.5% of polyps were in the recto-sigmoidal region. None of the patients had any serious post-colonoscopy and polypectomy complications.

Conclusions:In this study of 77 patients, 92% had juvenile polyp and 8% had polyposis syndrome. Commonest presenting complaint was per rectal bleeding (100%). Histopathologically, 98.8% had hamartomatous polyp. Solitary polyp was found in 73.2% and 83.5% of polyps were in the recto-sigmoidal region.