Pediatric Functional Abdominal Pain Disorders following COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD) are common in children and have multifactorial causes.
• These disorders include irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, abdominal migraine, and functional abdominal pain.
• The impact of SARS-CoV-2 on pediatric digestive health is an emerging area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of FAPD in preschool children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To analyze the association of FAPD with COVID-19 status, gender, and environmental factors.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective, observational study comparing FAPD cases in preschool children (4-6 years) from southwestern Romania.
• Data collected from pre-pandemic and COVID-19 pandemic periods.
• Diagnosis of FAPD used age-specific Rome IV criteria; statistical analysis compared clinical-epidemiological parameters.

Main Results:

• Irritable bowel syndrome remained the most common FAPD in both periods.
• The pandemic group showed increased prevalence of abdominal migraine and functional abdominal pain not otherwise specified.
• COVID-19 positive cases were associated with irritable bowel syndrome and urban environments, with digestive symptoms being predominant.

Conclusions:

• The study suggests potential viral-mediated gastrointestinal sensitivity in preschool children.
• Clinical-epidemiological profiles of FAPD varied by gender and environment during the pandemic.
• Further research with larger cohorts is needed to confirm the pandemic's specific contribution to FAPD.