<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec><h3>Background</h3><p>Congenital limb defects (CLD) have a range of phenotypes and can be a substantial cause of disability. The prevalence of CLD in the adult population of Pakistan is not well described.</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Objectives</h3><p>To investigate the prevalence of CLD and their associated factors in a married female population of the Rahim Yar Khan (RYK) District in Pakistan.</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Methods</h3><p>A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in 4 tehsils of RYK District, and married women and girls from 22 different localities were enrolled by convenience sampling in public places and through door-to-door visits. Data regarding limb phenotype and demographic variables were obtained from participants.</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Results</h3><p>We enrolled 2,204 married women and girls. We found 11 participants with CLD suggesting a prevalence of 4.99/1,000 (proportion: 0.005; 95% confidence interval [CI] &lt;0.001–0.01). Polydactyly was the most frequent (n = 5; prevalence: 2.27/1,000), followed by others in the following sequence: brachydactyly (n = 4; prevalence: 1.81/1,000), camptodactyly (n = 1; prevalence: 0.45/1,000), and oligodactyly (n = 1; prevalence: 0.45/1,000). The odds of occurrence of CLD were higher in individuals originating from Khanpur tehsil (odds ratio [OR] 2.05; 95% CI 0.37–11.27), speaking languages other than Punjabi and Saraiki (OR 2.35; 95% CI 0.24–22.80), belonging to Araien caste (OR 2.35; 95% CI: 0.24–22.80), of a nuclear family (OR 3.35; 95% CI 0.79–16.97), or having parental consanguinity (OR 1.87; 95% CI 0.49–7.06).</p></sec>
<sec><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Preliminary estimate of CLD prevalence in the married female sample population in RYK appears high compared with estimates from birth defects registries in other countries.</p></sec>
</abstract>

BackgroundCongenital limb defects (CLD) have a range of phenotypes and can be a substantial cause of disability. The prevalence of CLD in the adult population of Pakistan is not well described.
ObjectivesTo investigate the prevalence of CLD and their associated factors in a married female population of the Rahim Yar Khan (RYK) District in Pakistan.
MethodsA cross-sectional population-based study was conducted in 4 tehsils of RYK District, and married women and girls from 22 different localities were enrolled by convenience sampling in public places and through door-to-door visits. Data regarding limb phenotype and demographic variables were obtained from participants.
ResultsWe enrolled 2,204 married women and girls. We found 11 participants with CLD suggesting a prevalence of 4.99/1,000 (proportion: 0.005; 95% confidence interval [CI] <0.001–0.01). Polydactyly was the most frequent (n = 5; prevalence: 2.27/1,000), followed by others in the following sequence: brachydactyly (n = 4; prevalence: 1.81/1,000), camptodactyly (n = 1; prevalence: 0.45/1,000), and oligodactyly (n = 1; prevalence: 0.45/1,000). The odds of occurrence of CLD were higher in individuals originating from Khanpur tehsil (odds ratio [OR] 2.05; 95% CI 0.37–11.27), speaking languages other than Punjabi and Saraiki (OR 2.35; 95% CI 0.24–22.80), belonging to Araien caste (OR 2.35; 95% CI: 0.24–22.80), of a nuclear family (OR 3.35; 95% CI 0.79–16.97), or having parental consanguinity (OR 1.87; 95% CI 0.49–7.06).
ConclusionPreliminary estimate of CLD prevalence in the married female sample population in RYK appears high compared with estimates from birth defects registries in other countries.

Congenital limb defects in a married female population of the Rahim Yar Khan District in Pakistan

Human Genetics Program, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences

Asian Biomedicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

BackgroundCongenital limb defects (CLD) have a range of phenotypes and can be a substantial cause of disability. The prevalence of CLD in the adult population...

Congenital limb defects in a married female population of the Rahim Yar Khan District in Pakistan

Article Category: Brief communication (original)

Published Online: Jun 30, 2021

Page range: 137 - 144

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/abm-2021-0017

Keywords
descriptive epidemiology, limb defects, polydactyly, Southern Punjab, women's health

© 2021 Hafiza Fizzah Riaz et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Congenital limb defects in a married female population of the Rahim Yar Khan District in Pakistan

Article Category: Brief communication (original)

Published Online: Jun 30, 2021

Page range: 137 - 144

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/abm-2021-0017

Keywordsdescriptive epidemiology, limb defects, polydactyly, Southern Punjab, women's health

© 2021 Hafiza Fizzah Riaz et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
descriptive epidemiology, limb defects, polydactyly, Southern Punjab, women's health