Prevalence of functional gastrointestinal diseases in a cohort of Sri Lankan adolescents: comparison between Rome II and Rome III criteria.
Little is known about the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGDs) in adolescents, especially in developing countries. This cross-sectional survey conducted in a semi-urban school in Sri Lanka, assessed the prevalence of whole spectrum of FGDs in 427 adolescents (age 12-16 years) using a validated self-administered questionnaire. According to Rome III criteria, 123 (28.8%) adolescents had FGDs. Of them, 59 (13.8%) had abdominal-pain-related FGDs [irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 30, functional dyspepsia 15, functional abdominal pain 13 and abdominal migraine 1]. Prevalence of functional constipation, aerophagia, adolescent rumination syndrome, cyclical vomiting syndrome and non-retentive faecal incontinence were 4.2, 6.3, 4, 0.5 and 0.2%, respectively. Only 58 (13.6%) adolescents were found to have FGDs when Rome II criteria were used. In conclusion, FGDs were present in more than one-fourth of adolescents in the study group, of which IBS was the most common. Rome III criteria were able to diagnose FGDs more comprehensively than Rome II.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka. niranga1230@lycos.com
Niranga Manjuri
NM
Devanarayana
Chandralatha
C
Adhikari
Waruni
W
Pannala
Shaman
S
Rajindrajith
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000334:Aerophagy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003248:Constipation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014839:Vomiting