Q. A 10-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department by his mother for fever and abdominal pain for the past three days. His mother says that the boy is complaining of nausea and is not able to eat. He had multiple episodes of similar complaints in the past 5 years and each episode lasted around 1 to 2 days. His family history shows that they have recently immigrated to the USA from Armenia. His father died due to renal failure at the age of 40. His temperature is 102°F (38.8°C), pulse is 100/min, blood pressure is 80/60 mmHg, and respirations are 16/min. Physical examination shows an irritable child with a distended abdomen. Guarding and rebound tenderness are noted. Bowel sounds are absent on auscultation. Rest of the examination is normal.
Lab investigations show:
Hemoglobin 8.6 g/dL
White blood cells 13000/mm3
C-reactive protein 160 mg/L
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) 110 mm/hr
What is the long-term complication that this patient can develop if left untreated?