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Prematurity and functional gastrointestinal disorders in infancy: a cross-sectional study
Marcela Montenegro Braga Barroso Gondim1, Ana Lucia Goulart2, Mauro Batista de Morais3
1MD. Physician, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
Insights
Preterm infants do not show a higher incidence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) within their first two years. Invasive neonatal procedures were not linked to increased FGID risk in these infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Neonatology
- Public Health
Background:
- Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are chronic digestive symptoms without identifiable structural or biochemical causes.
- The link between prematurity and FGIDs is an area of growing research interest.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare FGID prevalence in preterm versus term infants.
- To assess if neonatal invasive procedures in preterm infants correlate with FGID development up to two years of age.
Main Methods:
- A controlled nested cross-sectional study was conducted.
- 197 infants (99 preterm, 98 term) under 24 months were evaluated retrospectively using Rome IV criteria.
- Data collected included gestational/neonatal history and digestive symptoms.
Main Results:
- Infant regurgitation was more frequent in term infants (35.1%) compared to preterm infants (15.6%).
- No significant differences in the frequency of other FGIDs (colic, constipation, diarrhea, dyschezia) were observed between preterm and term infants.
- Neonatal invasive procedures did not show an association with FGID development in preterm infants.
Conclusions:
- Preterm infants do not exhibit a higher prevalence of FGIDs in the first two years of life compared to term infants.
- The study found no correlation between neonatal invasive procedures and the subsequent development of FGIDs in preterm infants.
Background:
Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are defined as a variable combination of chronic or recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms that are not explained by structural or biochemical abnormalities. Their relationship with prematurity has been increasingly studied.
Objective:
To compare the frequency of FGIDs in preterm and term infants and to evaluate whether invasive procedures during the neonatal period in preterm infants are associated with greater likelihood of FGIDs in the first two years of life.
Design And Setting:
Controlled nested cross-sectional study conducted in a Brazilian university hospital.
Methods:
This was a controlled nested cross-sectional study on a retrospective cohort of infants born preterm who were compared with infants born at term regarding the presence of FGIDs. Medical consultations were conducted by a single pediatric gastroenterologist to obtain information on the gestational and neonatal periods and on clinical manifestations of the digestive tract. The Rome IV criteria for the diagnosis of FGIDs were used.
Results:
A total of 197 infants (< 24 months), including 99 preterm and 98 term infants, were studied. Infant regurgitation was more prevalent in term infants (35.1% and 15.6%; P < 0.001). The frequencies of other FGIDs (infant colic, functional constipation, functional diarrhea and infant dyschezia) in preterm infants did not differ from those of term infants (P > 0.05). No relationship was found between invasive procedures during the neonatal period and development of FGIDs in preterm infants.
Conclusion:
Infants born preterm did not have higher frequency of FGIDs in the first two years of life.
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