Sex, psychosocial factors, and reported symptoms influence referral for esophagogastroduodenoscopy and biopsy results in children with chronic abdominal pain.
OBJECTIVE
To identify symptoms and psychosocial factors that predicted referral for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and discriminated between patients with positive versus negative biopsy findings.


METHODS
Children age 8 to 16 years old and parents completed validated questionnaires assessing gastrointestinal symptoms and psychosocial characteristics. Biopsy results of esophagus, stomach, and duodenum were reviewed.


RESULTS
From the total sample of 461 patients (mean age 11.87 years, 62% girls), 127 (28%) underwent EGD with biopsy (mean age 12.1 years, 57% girls). Upper abdominal gastrointestinal symptoms predicted EGD referral, and psychosocial characteristics did not. From the total of 127 patients who underwent EGD, complete biopsy results were available for 124 patients and were negative at all sites for 34.7% of patients (n = 43), equivocal for 20.2% (n = 25), and positive at 1 or more sites for 45.2% (n = 56). Boys were more likely than girls to have positive biopsy results (56.6% vs 36.6%, P < 0.03) because of the higher rate of positive esophageal biopsy results (47.2% vs 26.8%, P < 0.04). Among boys, vomiting (P < 0.02) and family stress (P < 0.04) predicted positive esophageal biopsy findings. Among girls, depressive symptoms predicted positive biopsy findings (P = 0.015).


CONCLUSIONS
Upper abdominal symptoms, sex, stress, and depressive symptoms predict positive EGD biopsy findings in patients with chronic abdominal pain. Research on mechanisms linking these factors to mucosal damage in the gut is warranted.
Puzanovova
Martina
M
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine and Behavioral Science, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Nashville, TN 37232-9060, USA. martina.puzanovova@vanderbilt.edu
Rudzinski
Erin
E
Shirkey
Kezia C
KC
Cherry
Rebecca
R
Acra
Sari
S
Walker
Lynn S
LS
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004386:Duodenum / Q000473:pathology; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000379:methods*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires