Sheikh Khalifa Medical City treats child with rare rheumatological disease

PureHealth, through its subsidiary SEHA's renowned Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), is making significant strides in diagnosing and treating rare musculoskeletal conditions in children. Among these achievements is the successful treatment of a 5-year-old boy suffering from Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis (CRMO).

CRMO is a rare disease that causes inflammation predominantly in the long bones of the lower limbs in children and adolescents. It presents symptoms such as bone or joint pain, local bone swelling, tenderness, limping, loss of function, and skin lesions like psoriasis and acne. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for favourable outcomes.

The young patient had been experiencing chronic back pain, rendering him bedridden. After undergoing comprehensive investigations, including a whole-body MRI scan, he was diagnosed with CRMO at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City's Rheumatology Clinic.

Dr Kamran Mahmood, a Consultant Pediatric Rheumatology at the hospital, took charge of the child's treatment. With the prescribed treatment, the boy's condition showed significant improvement. He regained the ability to stand up and walk and experienced reduced pain, ultimately returning to school.

Dr Mahmood said, "The successful treatment of the boy's Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis offers hope for other children with this rare condition. Children with unexplained joint symptoms or pains   can benefit from specialist rheumatology services for prompt diagnosis and treatment.”

The boy's mother said, "I cannot express how grateful I am to SKMC for giving my son a second chance at life. Seeing him suffer from chronic back pain and become bedridden was heartbreaking. But with the new medication, his condition improved significantly, and he can now walk and attend school again. The care and compassion shown by the hospital's dedicated team of specialists have touched our hearts, and we will be forever thankful for the tireless efforts in treating my son."

Dr Muna Al Hammadi, Acting Chief Medical Officer at SKMC, said, "In line with the vision of PureHealth and under the directives of SEHA, we are committed to offering exceptional pediatric care to our patients. Our team of highly trained pediatric subspecialists and state-of-the-art facilities ensure that we provide a wide range of specialised treatments for various medical conditions."

WAM