scholarly journals Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders in Children

Author(s):  
Muzal Kadim

Diagnostic criteria for functional abdominal pain has developed in the last decade, from the Rome III criteria to the Rome IV criteria. The major change was in the phrase "abdominal pain related gastrointestinal disorders" to "functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD)". According to Rome IV criteria, FAPD  are divided into functional dyspepsia (FD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), abdominal migraine, and functional abdominal pain-not otherwise specified (FAP-NOS). In order to diagnose FAPD, it is important to pay attention to alarm signs that can indicate organic abnormalities. The pathophysiology of FAPD was a complex interaction between psychosocial, genetic, environmental and life experiences of children through the gut brain axis. The risk factors for functional abdominal pain in children include psychological factors including anxiety and depression, stress conditions, negative experiences, and socioeconomic status.  

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (12) ◽  
pp. 485-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parisa Rahmani ◽  
Azin Ghouran-orimi ◽  
Farzaneh Motamed ◽  
Alireza Moradzadeh

Background: Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is one of the frequent complaints in general practice, particularly in pediatrics and is among the common cause of referral to gastroenterology clinics.Purpose: This study is designed to investigate the effects of probiotics for the treatment of RAP and desired therapeutic outcomes.Methods: One hundred twenty-five children with the diagnosis of RAP according to Rome III criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional abdominal pain (FAP), functional dyspepsia (FD), and abdominal migraine (AM), were enrolled in this double-blind randomized controlled trial.Results: Sixty-five subjects received probiotics, and others received placebo treatment for 4 weeks. <i>Lactobacillus reuteri</i> was therapeutically effective in 32 patients compared to 8 patients, responding to the placebo treatment. Compared to baseline, all pain-related variables showed a significant reduction for the IBS and FD at the end of the 4th week. However, it did not respond well in FAP and AM groups. Pain-related outcomes such as, frequency of the pain, severity, and duration of the pain were decreased following the probiotic treatment. No therapeutic response was seen in AM group after the administration of probiotics. <i>L. reuteri</i> significantly led to pain relief in the overall population, and also in FAP, FD, and IBS subgroups.Conclusion: <i>L. reuteri</i> probiotics are likely to lead to RAP relief and can be recommended for the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders.


Author(s):  
Desiree F. Baaleman ◽  
Carlos A. Velasco-Benítez ◽  
Laura M. Méndez-Guzmán ◽  
Marc A. Benninga ◽  
Miguel Saps

AbstractTo evaluate the agreement between the Rome III and Rome IV criteria in diagnosing pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), we conducted a prospective cohort study in a public school in Cali, Colombia. Children and adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age were given the Spanish version of the Questionnaire on Pediatric Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Rome III version on day 0 and Rome IV version on day 2 (48 h later). The study protocol was completed by 135 children. Thirty-nine (28.9%) children were excluded because of not following the instructions of the questionnaire. The final analysis included data of 96 children (mean 15.2 years old, SD ± 1.7, 54% girls). Less children fulfilled the criteria for an FGID according to Rome IV compared to Rome III (40.6% vs 29.2%, p=0.063) resulting in a minimal agreement between the two criteria in diagnosing an FGID (kappa 0.34, agreement of 70%). The prevalence of functional constipation according to Rome IV was significantly lower compared to Rome III (13.5% vs 31.3%, p<0.001), whereas functional dyspepsia had a higher prevalence according to Rome IV than Rome III (11.5% vs 0%).Conclusion: We found an overall minimal agreement in diagnosing FGIDs according to Rome III and Rome IV criteria. This may be partly explained by the differences in diagnostic criteria. However, limitations with the use of questionnaires to measure prevalence have to be taken into account. What is Known:• The Rome IV criteria replaced the previous Rome III criteria providing updated criteria to diagnose functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs).• Differences found between Rome IV and historic Rome III FGID prevalence may have been affected by changes in prevalence over time or differences in sample characteristics. What is New:• We found a minimal agreement between Rome III and Rome IV FGID diagnosis, especially in the diagnoses of functional constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and functional dyspepsia.• The minimal agreement may be partly explained by changes in diagnostic criteria, but limitations with the use of questionnaires to measure prevalence have to be taken into account.


Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Llanos-Chea ◽  
Alessio Fasano

In children, functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common at all ages. Consumption of certain foods, particularly gluten, is frequently associated with the development and persistence of FGIDs and functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) in adults and children. However, this association is not well defined. Even without a diagnosis of celiac disease (CD), some people avoid gluten or wheat in their diet since it has been shown to trigger mostly gastrointestinal symptoms in certain individuals, especially in children. The incidence of conditions such as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is increasing, particularly in children. On the other hand, CD is a chronic, autoimmune small intestinal enteropathy with symptoms that can sometimes be mimicked by FAPD. It is still unclear if pediatric patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are more likely to have CD. Abdominal, pain-associated FGID in children with CD does not seem to improve on a gluten-free diet. The threshold for gluten tolerance in patients with NCGS is unknown and varies among subjects. Thus, it is challenging to clearly distinguish between gluten exclusion and improvement of symptoms related solely to functional disorders.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 383-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Chao Linda Ding ◽  
Mohammad Karkhaneh ◽  
Liliane Zorzela ◽  
Hsing Jou ◽  
Sunita Vohra

Abstract Background Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD) are prevalent in the paediatric population, however, there is currently no consensus regarding best practices for treatment. The use of probiotics is becoming popular to treat FAPD. The goal of this rapid review is to synthesize the best evidence on the use of probiotics in children with FAPD. Methods Searches were conducted on five main databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of probiotic use in children (0 to 18 years) with FAPD were searched. Populations of interest were patients with functional abdominal pain (FAP), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and functional dyspepsia (FD), recruited based on Rome criteria. Outcomes of interest were changes in abdominal pain severity, frequency, and duration. Findings Eleven RCTs with 829 participants with the diagnosis of FAP (n=400), IBS (n=329), FD (n=45), and mixed population (n=55) were included. Of six studies of children with FAP, two (n=103) used Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and reported no significant effects on pain, and four (n=281) used Lactobacillus (L) reuteri DSM 17938, of which three (n=229) reported significant positive effects on either severity or frequency of pain. Of six trials of children with IBS, four (n=219) used LGG, of which three (n=168) reported a positive effect. One (n=48) used bifidobacteria and one used VSL #3 (n=59), both demonstrating positive effects with probiotics. Two studies of FD reported no benefit. No adverse events were attributed to probiotics. Conclusions There is preliminary evidence for use of probiotics, particularly LGG, in reducing abdominal pain in children with IBS. There are inconsistent positive effects of other probiotics, including L. reuteri DSM 17938, in reducing pain in patients with FAP, IBS, or FD. More RCTs with rigorous methodology using single or combination probiotics are warranted.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 166-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.D. Gulewitsch ◽  
K. Weimer ◽  
P. Enck ◽  
J. Schwille-Kiuntke ◽  
M. Hautzinger ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
pp. 2951-2959
Author(s):  
Adam D. Farmer ◽  
Qasim Aziz

Symptoms suggestive of disturbed lower gastrointestinal function without adequate explanation are very common in adults in the Western world, up to 15% of whom experience such symptoms at any one time, although most do not seek medical advice. The currently used terms are best viewed as an attempt to provide some clinically useful, rather than pathophysiologically accurate, categorization of patients and their symptoms based on disordered gut–brain interactions. Irritable bowel syndrome is defined according to the Rome III criteria as recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort associated with a change in bowel habit for at least 6 months, with symptoms experienced on at least 3 days of at least 3 months. Many subtypes are recognized. Routine haematological and biochemical screening is usually performed on the assumption that it will be normal. Features that raise the suspicion of organic disease and indicate a need for further investigation include the onset of symptoms in middle-aged or older individuals, weight loss, or blood in the stool. Management remains empirical: no single pharmacological agent or group of agents has ever been found to be consistently effective. The principal task of the physician is to provide explanation and reassurance (sometimes supplemented by psychological treatments), but particular symptoms are often treated as follows: (1) constipation—defecation may be eased by supplementary dietary fibre and poorly absorbed fermentable carbohydrates which increase faecal bulk and soften the stool; osmotic laxatives and enemas are used for the severely constipated patient, as well as more novel agents; (2) diarrhoea—attention to diet is often helpful, as are simple antidiarrhoeal agents; and (3) abdominal pain—antispasmodics (e.g. hyoscine butyl bromide) are frequently used, as are antidepressants.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document