In a 5-year prospective study for newborns at Al Ain Medical District, Al-Gazali et al. (2003) defined the pattern and birth prevalence of the different types of osteochondrodysplasias in the United Arab Emirates. Among the 38,048 births during the study period, 36 (9.46/10,000 births) had some type of skeletal dysplasia of which two had Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome. In one of these two cases, the parents were consanguineous. Al-Gazali et al. (2003) calculated the birth rate of this type of osteochondrodysplasia in the United Arab Emirates to be 0.52/10,000 births. The patient cohort included 88% Arabs. 

Mostafa et al. (2005) reported three Egyptian families with six cases of Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome. Mostafa et al. (2005) observed an unusual pattern of inheritance with father to son or to daughter transmission in two consanguineous families; thus, demonstrating pseudo-dominant inheritance, probably for the first time in the literature. A new consistent orodental anomaly found in all our cases was bifid tip of the tongue. Mostafa et al. (2005) emphasized the study of orodental anomalies in future cases for accurate diagnosis of Ellis-van Creveld syndrome and its probable differential diagnosis from Weyers acrodental dysostosis.

Temtamy et al. (2008) reported affected individuals with both the EVC and EVC2 genes inactivated on each allele. Affected subjects were born to a consanguineous family diagnosed with EvC and borderline intelligence. In the affected members from this family, Temtamy et al. (2008) detected a 520-kb homozygous deletion comprising EVC, EVC2, C4orf6, and STK32B, caused by recombination between long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) elements. Patients homozygous for the deletion are deficient in EVC and EVC2 and have no increase in the severity of the EvC typical features. Similarly, deletion carriers demonstrate absence of digenic inheritance in EvC. The phenotype of these patients led Temtamy et al. (2008) to suggest that the EVC-STK32B deletion also leads to mild mental retardation and reveals that loss of the novel genes C4orf6 and STK32B causes at most mild mental deficit. In an EvC compound heterozygote of different ethnic origin, Temtamy et al. (2008) identified the same LINE-to-LINE rearrangement due to a different recombination event.

Hattab et al. (1998) presented two siblings with Ellis-Van Creveld, a boy aged 9 years and a girl aged 7 1/2 years, a product of unaffected first cousin parents. The patients exhibited chondrodysplasia of tubular bones resulting in disproportionate dwarfism, polydactyly and syndactyly of hands and feet, severe dystrophic nails, multiple broad labial frenula with abnormal attachments, congenital missing incisors, anomalous teeth, bilateral partial clefts of the alveolar bone, and malocclusion. Other features noted in either cases were: congenital heart defect, median notch of the upper lip, shovel-shaped incisors and taurodontism. Of the unusual dental findings observed in the patients of Hattab et al. (1998) were talon cusp, reduced crown size, supernumerary tooth, and early eruption of teeth. Hattab et al. (1998) pointed that because half of the cases with Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome have cardiac malformation, dental treatment must be performed under prophylactic antibiotic coverage. They also emphasized the important role of dentists in early diagnosis and control of dental problem of this condition.

Rajab et al. (2005) undertook a study to estimate the prevalence of commonly diagnosed autosomal recessive diseases in Oman from a hospital-based register in years 1993 to 2002. The study revealed that Ellis-Van-Creveld syndrome was diagnosed in 18 patients, with an observed incidence of 1 in 25,000 births.

Sawardekar (2005) conducted a study to establish the prevalence of major congenital malformations in children born during a 10-year period in an Omani hospital in Nizwa. Of the 21,988 total births in the hospital, four children were born with Ellis-van Creveld syndrome. Sawardekar (2005) hinted for a possible genetic contribution in these children.

Reddy and Madelioglu (1967) reported two cases of Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome from Saudi Arabia. No further details could be obtained on these patients.