Children (Sep 2021)

Fifteen-Years Follow-Up in a Cohort of Children with Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Prevalence and Risk Factors to Develop Neuropsychiatric Disorders and Other Comorbidities

  • Chiara Zanchi,
  • Stefano Pintaldi,
  • Grazia Di Leo,
  • Luca Ronfani,
  • Giulia Zamagni,
  • Marialuisa Viel,
  • Egidio Barbi,
  • Giorgio Cozzi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/children8100838
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 10
p. 838

Abstract

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Background: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are chronic and recurrent disorders, which affect up to 23% of children and adolescents and represent 50% of gastroenterological accesses. The association between FGIDs diagnosed at paediatric age and the onset of migraine or headache and neuropsychiatric diseases in adolescence and adulthood is widely reported in the literature. However, there is still limited knowledge about the long-term prognosis and risk factors for neuropsychiatric pathologies and other comorbidities. Aim: The aim is to assess the prevalence and persistence of FGIDs as well as the occurrence of migraine or headache and neuropsychiatric disorders in a cohort of patients diagnosed with FGIDs 15 years ago compared with a control group of peers. Materials and methods: We enrolled a group of patients diagnosed with FGIDs at paediatric age, at least 10 years ago (FGIDs group, n = 79; median age 23), and control subjects (control group, n = 201; median age 23). In both groups, an online questionnaire created explicitly for the study was submitted in order to investigate the presence of chronic intestinal diseases, migraine, headache or neuropsychiatric disorders. Results: 45.6% (36 out of 79) of patients previously diagnosed with FGIDs still suffer from FGIDs versus 12% (24 out of 201) of healthy controls (p p = 0.3). Thirty-three percent (26 out of 79) of FGIDs patients reported headache or migraine versus 13% (26 out of 201) of healthy peers (p < 0.001). No differences were found regarding the prevalence of anxiety and depression. Conclusion: The outcome at 15 years of FGIDs was characterized by a high prevalence of persisting functional symptoms along with a significant incidence of headaches and migraines. Abbreviation: FGIDs: Functional gastrointestinal disorders; IBS: Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome.

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