title: Obesity predicts persistence of pain in children with functional gastrointestinal disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The possible effect of obesity in the outcome of treated children with abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) has not yet been studied. We hypothesized that obesity is associated with a poor long-term prognosis in children with FGIDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study in an outpatient clinic-based sample of patients diagnosed with abdominal pain-related FGIDs. Principal outcome measured was persistence of pain at long-term follow-up (12-15 months). Frequency of pain, intensity of pain, school absenteeism and disruption of daily activities were compared between obese and non-obese subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group mean age was 13.27±3.84 years, distribution of diagnosis was 32% (functional abdominal pain), 42.5% (irritable bowel syndrome) and 25.5% (functional dyspepsia). Overall, 20.2% of patients were obese. A total of 116 patients (61.7%) reported abdominal pain and 72 (38.3%) were asymptomatic at long-term follow-up. Obese patients were more likely to have abdominal pain (P<0.0001), higher intensity of pain (P=0.0002), higher frequency of pain (P=0.0032), school absenteeism (P<0.0001) and disruption of daily activities (P<0.0001) at follow-up than non-obese patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity is associated with poor outcome and disability at long-term follow-up in children with abdominal pain-related FGIDs. Our novel findings could have important implications in the prognosis and management of FGIDs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bonilla
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saps
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index