Elena Scarpato1, Sanja Kolacek2, Danijela Jojkic-Pavkov3, Vlatka Konjik4, Nataša Živković3, Enriqueta Roman5, Aco Kostovski6, Nikolina Zdraveska6, Eyad Altamimi7, Alexandra Papadopoulou8, Thomai Karagiozoglou-Lampoudi9, Raanan Shamir10, Michal Rozenfeld Bar Lev10, Aziz Koleilat11, Sirin Mneimneh11, Dario Bruzzese12, Rosaura Leis13, Annamaria Staiano14. 1. Section of Paediatrics, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University "Federico II," Naples, Italy. 2. Referral Centre for Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, "University Children's Hospital," Zagreb, Croatia. 3. Department of Paediatrics, Institute for Child and Youth Health Care of Vojvodina, Medical Faculty Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia. 4. Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, University Hospital Osijek, Osijek, Croatia. 5. Department of Paediatrics, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain. 6. University Children Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Skopje, Macedonia. 7. Pediatric Department, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan. 8. First Department of Paediatrics, University of Athens, Athens Children's Hospital "Agia Sophia," Athens, Greece. 9. Nutrition and Dietetics Department, School of Food Technology and Nutrition, Technological Education Institute, Thessaloniki, Greece. 10. Institute of Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, "Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel," Petach Tikva, Israel. 11. Makassed University General Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. 12. Department of Public Health, University "Federico II," Naples, Italy. 13. Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Unit, Hospital Clìnico Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 14. Section of Paediatrics, Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University "Federico II," Naples, Italy. Electronic address: staiano@unina.it.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Little is known about the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in children from the Mediterranean area of Europe. We aimed to assess the prevalence of FGIDs in children and adolescents in this region. METHODS: We collected data on 13,750 children (4-18 years old) enrolled in the Mediterranean-European Area Project, a school-based health study performed in Croatia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Serbia, and Spain. Data were collected from March to June and in September of 2016. We analyzed data from 6602 students 4 to 10 years old (group A; mean age, 7.7 ± 1.9 y), and 7148 subjects 11 to 18 years old (group B; mean age, 13.8 ± 2.1 y). Children with FGIDs were identified based on answers to questionnaires on pediatric gastrointestinal symptoms, selected based on Rome III criteria. RESULTS: In group A, the prevalence of FGIDs was 20.7%. The most frequent disorders were functional constipation (11.7%), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, 4%), aerophagia (3.5%), and abdominal migraine (3.1%). The prevalence of abdominal migraine was significantly higher in girls than in boys (P = .007). In group B, the overall prevalence of FGIDs was 26.6%. The most frequent disorders were functional constipation (13.1%), abdominal migraine (7.8%), aerophagia (6.3%), and IBS (5.6%). In group B, FGIDs had a higher prevalence among girls than boys (P < .001). In both groups, we found significant differences in the prevalence of specific disorders among specific countries. CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of data on children 4 to 18 years old from the Mediterranean-European Area Project, we found FGIDs to be more frequent in girls. Functional constipation, aerophagia, abdominal migraine, and IBS are the most common disorders. However, the prevalence of FGIDs varies significantly among countries.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Little is known about the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in children from the Mediterranean area of Europe. We aimed to assess the prevalence of FGIDs in children and adolescents in this region. METHODS: We collected data on 13,750 children (4-18 years old) enrolled in the Mediterranean-European Area Project, a school-based health study performed in Croatia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Serbia, and Spain. Data were collected from March to June and in September of 2016. We analyzed data from 6602 students 4 to 10 years old (group A; mean age, 7.7 ± 1.9 y), and 7148 subjects 11 to 18 years old (group B; mean age, 13.8 ± 2.1 y). Children with FGIDs were identified based on answers to questionnaires on pediatric gastrointestinal symptoms, selected based on Rome III criteria. RESULTS: In group A, the prevalence of FGIDs was 20.7%. The most frequent disorders were functional constipation (11.7%), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS, 4%), aerophagia (3.5%), and abdominal migraine (3.1%). The prevalence of abdominal migraine was significantly higher in girls than in boys (P = .007). In group B, the overall prevalence of FGIDs was 26.6%. The most frequent disorders were functional constipation (13.1%), abdominal migraine (7.8%), aerophagia (6.3%), and IBS (5.6%). In group B, FGIDs had a higher prevalence among girls than boys (P < .001). In both groups, we found significant differences in the prevalence of specific disorders among specific countries. CONCLUSIONS: In an analysis of data on children 4 to 18 years old from the Mediterranean-European Area Project, we found FGIDs to be more frequent in girls. Functional constipation, aerophagia, abdominal migraine, and IBS are the most common disorders. However, the prevalence of FGIDs varies significantly among countries.