PURPOSE: Abdominal pain is one of the most common conditions in childhood and adolescence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) Doppler findings in children with recurrent abdominal pain. METHOD: Duplex Doppler sonographic measurements were performed in 20 patients with recurrent abdominal pain and in 34 controls. RESULTS: The mean blood flow velocities, blood flow volume, and diameter of the SMA were significantly lower in patients with recurrent abdominal pain than in controls. CONCLUSION: Insufficient development and/or vasoconstriction of the SMA vascular bed may be involved in recurrent abdominal pain, but further studies on larger groups are needed to test this hypothesis. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PURPOSE:Abdominal pain is one of the most common conditions in childhood and adolescence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) Doppler findings in children with recurrent abdominal pain. METHOD: Duplex Doppler sonographic measurements were performed in 20 patients with recurrent abdominal pain and in 34 controls. RESULTS: The mean blood flow velocities, blood flow volume, and diameter of the SMA were significantly lower in patients with recurrent abdominal pain than in controls. CONCLUSION: Insufficient development and/or vasoconstriction of the SMA vascular bed may be involved in recurrent abdominal pain, but further studies on larger groups are needed to test this hypothesis. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.