title: Characterization of irritable bowel syndrome and constipation in children with allergic diseases.
abstract: Allergy is believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constipation. We investigated whether allergic patients are more prone to constipation or IBS. In a multicenter study, two groups of outpatient children aged 3-13 years were included. In group 1, children with allergic symptoms were enrolled. Group 2 consisted of nonallergic children. In both groups, the assessment of IBS and constipation was carried out using a questionnaire based on the Rome criteria for functional gastrointestinal disorders. All children were examined and underwent skin prick tests (SPT) to foods and aeroallergens. The allergic group (n=196) and controls (n=127) were comparable with respect to sex, age, and anthropometric parameters. IBS was found in 6.6% of the allergic children and in 6.3% of the controls (p=0.581). The frequency of constipation was similar in the two groups. In allergic children, positive SPTs to food and self-reported reactions to food were associated with IBS. Our results show that evaluation of constipation comorbidity is not required in allergic children. In allergic children with positive SPT to foods attention may be paid to IBS symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento dell'Età Evolutiva, Clinica Pediatrica, Università di Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43100 Parma, Italy. carlo.caffarelli@unipr.it
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caffarelli
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coscia
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: Lucetta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Capra
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cazzato
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Migliozzi
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pecorari
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valenti
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavagni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003248:Constipation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012882:Skin Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E