Sheikh Khalifa Medical City treats child with rare rheumatological disease

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

The young patient had been experiencing chronic back pain, which left him bedridden. After undergoing extensive investigations, including a full-body MRI, he was diagnosed with CRMO at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Rheumatology Clinic.

Dr Kamran Mahmood, pediatric rheumatology consultant at the hospital, took charge of the boy’s treatment. With the prescribed treatment, the child’s condition showed significant improvement. He regained the ability to stand and walk and experienced a reduction in pain and eventually returned 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 symptoms or joint pain may benefit from specialist rheumatology services for timely diagnosis and treatment.”

The boy’s mother said: “I cannot express how grateful I am to SKMC for giving my son a second chance in life. Watching 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 has touched our hearts and we will always be grateful for their tireless efforts in treating my son.”

Dr. Muna Al Hammadi, Acting Medical Director of SKMC, said: “In line with the vision of PureHealth and as per 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 we provide a wide range of specialized treatments for various medical conditions.”