Abdominal migraine in children: association between gastric motility parameters and clinical characteristics

Approximately 0.2-1 % of children suffers from abdominal migraine (AM). Pathophysiology of AM has not been adequately studied. This study evaluated gastric motility in children with AM.

Seventeen children (6 boys), within an age range of 4-15 years, referred to a tertiary care paediatric unit, North Colombo Teaching Hospital Ragama, Sri Lanka, from 2007 to 2012, were screened. Those fulfilling Rome III criteria for AM were recruited after obtaining parental consent. None had clinical or laboratory evidence of organic disorders. Twenty healthy children (8 boys), with an age range of 4-14 years, were recruited as controls. Liquid gastric emptying rate (GE) and antral motility parameters were assessed using an ultrasound method.

Average GE (41.6 % vs. 66.2 %, in controls), amplitude of antral contractions (A) (57.9 % vs. 89.0 %) and antral motility index (MI) (5.0 vs. 8.3) were lower and fasting antral area (1.8 cm(2) vs. 0.6 cm(2)) was higher in children with AM (p < 0.01). No significant difference in the frequency of antral contractions (F) (8.8/3 min vs. 9.3/3 min, p = 0.08) was found between the two groups. Scores obtained for severity of abdominal pain had a negative correlation with A (r = -0.55, p = 0.03). Average duration of abdominal pain episodes correlated with GE (r = -0.58, p = 0.02). Negative correlations were observed between duration of AM and A (r = -0.55), F (r = -0.52), and MI (r = -0.57) (p < 0.05).

GE and antral motility parameters were significantly lower in children with AM. A significant correlation was found between symptoms and gastric motility. These findings suggest a possible role of abnormal gastric motility in the pathogenesis of AM.