DISEASE PROFILE OF 400 INSTITUTIONALIZED MENTALLY-RETARDED PATIENTS IN KUWAIT

In this preliminary report we summarize the results of a 4-year multid isciplinary systematic, etiological clinicogenetic survey of 400 insti tutionalized mentally retarded patients in Kuwait. All had an intellig ence quotient below 50. A constitutional disorder, as the direct cause of the mental retardation, was found in 203 patients (50.75%)): a chr omosomal abnormality in 37 (9.25%), Mendelian disorders in 137 (34.25% ), MCA/MR in 22 (5.55%) and CNS malformations in 7 cases (1.75%). In 1 57 patients (39.35%) a pre-, peri or postnatal cause was ascertained. No etiological diagnosis was detected in 40 patients (10%). A detailed analysis of the ''disease profile'' is given and compared with the re sults of previous diagnostic genetic surveys among different instituti onalized mentally retarded populations in Western and developing count ries.