title: The prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders in children in Panama: a school-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common in children, but the epidemiology of FGIDs is incompletely understood. Our aim was to perform a population-based study using Rome III criteria to describe the prevalence of FGIDs in children in Panama.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional study of children attending three schools in Panama City, Panama. Children with organic medical diseases were excluded. Subjects provided demographic information and completed the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms - Rome III Spanish version.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 321 subjects (61.1% female, median age 10 years, range 8-14 years) completed our study. A total of 92 subjects (28.7%) met criteria for an FGID. Gender, age and school type did not differ significantly between subjects with and without FGIDs. The most common FGIDs included functional constipation (15.9%), irritable bowel syndrome (5.6%), and functional abdominal pain or functional abdominal pain syndrome (4.0%). Abdominal pain-related FGIDs were present in 12.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FGIDs are common in school-aged children in Panama. The prevalence of abdominal pain-related FGIDs in children in Panama is similar to that described in other parts of the world. Further population-based studies utilising Rome III criteria to measure FGID prevalence in children are needed to advance our understanding of the pathogenesis of FGIDs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saps
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hospital del Niño, Panama City, Panama.
authors.forename: Ricardo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Chanis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Velasco-Benítez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010176:Panama / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools
keywords: Abdominal pain; Constipation; Developing countries; Epidemiology; Functional abdominal pain