Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr.  2022 Nov;25(6):500-509. 10.5223/pghn.2022.25.6.500.

Impaired Health-Related Quality of Life in Brazilian Children with Chronic Abdominal Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Jesus CDFd
• Assis Carvalho Md
• Machado NC

• KMID: 2535167
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5223/pghn.2022.25.6.500

Abstract

Purpose
We compared the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children and adolescents with functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) and organic abdominal pain disorders (ORGDs).
Methods
This was a single-center, cross-sectional, observational study. The PedsQL 4.0 generic cores scales parent proxy-report was administered to parents/caregivers of 130 and 56 pediatric patients with FAPDs and ORGDs respectively on their first visit. The self-reported pain intensity in the patients was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) and facial affective scale (FAS).
Results
Irritable bowel syndrome was the most prevalent FAPDs, and the most prevalent ORGDs were reflux esophagitis (41.1%) and gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori (21.4%). There was no difference in HRQOL among patients diagnosed with ORGDs and FAPDs (p>0.05). Patients with ORGDs and FAPDs had lower HRQOL Scale scores than healthy Brazilian and American children’s references, with a high proportion of children at risk for impaired HRQOL (p<0.0001). There was no difference in the VAS and the FAS scores between the ORGDs and the FAPDs. FAPDs had a higher prevalence of girls’ and couples’ disagreement (p<0.02), although poor school performance (p<0.0007) and bullying (p<0.01) were higher in patients with ORGD.
Conclusion
This study revealed that there was a difference in impaired HRQOL between patients with ORGDs and FAPDs. Thus, considering the high prevalence of chronic abdominal pain in children, a well-founded treatment plan is necessary for a multidisciplinary cognitive-behavioral Pain management program.

Keyword

Abdominal pain; Functional gastrointestinal disorders; Quality of life; Helicobacter pylori; Pain measurement; Reflux esophagitis