title: Umbilical hernia repair increases the rate of functional gastrointestinal disorders in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To hypothesize that hernia repair would not change the incidence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) due to the benign and limited nature of the procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cohort study assessed a randomized selection of children aged 4-18 years who underwent hernia repair more than 4 years prior at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Controls were siblings who had not undergone surgery previously. Parents completed the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms-Rome III Version by telephone for subjects and controls. The primary outcome was the presence of FGIDs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty children with hernia repair and 43 sibling controls were identified. At the time of survey, subjects with hernia repair were average age 12.9 years (range 5-18 years, 60% male) and controls were average age 12.2 years (range 4-18 years, 49% male). Average age at surgical repair was 5.2 years (median 5.2 years, range 0.2-10.4 years) and average time since surgical repair was 7.8 years (range 4.8-13.7 years). FGIDs were diagnosed in 10/50 (20%) cases of hernia repair and 2/43 (5%) controls (P = .033, Fisher 2-tailed test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Umbilical hernia repair increases the likelihood of FGIDs in childhood. Additional studies are needed to identify aspects of surgery that may be associated with development of FGIDs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: Papa N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saps
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006554:Hernia, Umbilical / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D035781:Siblings
keywords: CAP; Chronic abdominal pain; FGID; Functional gastrointestinal disorder; IBS; Irritable bowel syndrome