title: Analysis of Gastric and Duodenal Eosinophils in Children with Abdominal Pain Related Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders According to Rome III Criteria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Abdominal pain-related functional gastrointestinal disorder (AP-FGID) is common in children and adults. However, the mechanism of AP-FGID is not clearly known. Recently, micro-inflammation, especially eosinophilia in the gastrointestinal tract, was suggested in the pathophysiology of AP-FGID in adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of gastric and duodenal eosinophilia with pediatric AP-FGID.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 105 pediatric patients with AP-FGID were recruited and classified into 4 subgroups based on the Rome III criteria. Eosinophil counts in the gastric and duodenal tissues of children with AP-FGID were compared to those from normal pathology references or those of children with Helicobacter pylori infection. Tissue eosinophil counts were also compared among the 4 subtypes of AP-FGID.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eosinophil counts in the gastric antrum and body were significantly higher in children with AP-FGID than normal reference values. Duodenal eosinophil counts were higher in children with AP-FGID, but not significantly when compared with normal reference values. There were no significant differences in eosinophil counts of the stomach or duodenum among the 4 subtypes of AP-FGID. Eosinophils counts in the gastric antrum and body were significantly higher in children with H. pylori infection than in those with AP-FGID. Duodenal eosinophilia was prominent in cases of H. pylori infection, but not statistically significant when compared with AP-FGID.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study revealed that gastric eosinophilia is associated with AP-FGID in children, regardless of the subtype of functional abdominal pain. This suggests some contribution of gastrointestinal eosinophils in the development of pediatric AP-FGID.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Hye
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.|Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Ran
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Seung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Abdominal pain; Child; Eosinophils; Functional gastrointestinal disorder