Hirschsprung's disease

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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Factors that may increase the risk of Hirschsprung's disease include:

  • Having a sibling with Hirschsprung's disease. Because Hirschsprung's disease can be inherited, if you have one child with the disease, your future children also may be at risk.
  • Being male. Hirschsprung's disease is more common in males.
  • Having other inherited conditions. Hirschsprung's disease is associated with certain inherited conditions, such as inherited heart problems and Down syndrome. It may also be associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia, type IIB — a syndrome that causes noncancerous tumors in the mucous membranes and adrenal glands (located above the kidneys) and cancer of the thyroid gland (located at the base of the neck).
References
  1. What I need to know about Hischsprung disease. National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/hirschsprungs_ez/. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
  2. Wyllie R. Motility disorders and Hirschsprung disease. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
  3. Kahn E, et al. Anatomy, histology, embryology and development anomalies of the small and large intestine. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisinger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/linkTo?type=bookHome&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&uniq=200844987-3. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
  4. Philichi L. When the going gets tough: Pediatric constipation and encopresis. Gastroenterology Nursing. 2008;31:121.
  5. Nutrition therapy for constipation. ADA Nutrition Care Manual. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm. Accessed Oct. 12, 2010.
DS00825 Nov. 11, 2010

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