Childhood Irritable Bowel Syndrome Characteristics Are Related to Both Sex and Pubertal Development

Abstract

Objective To determine the relationship of both pubertal development and sex to childhood irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) clinical characteristics including gastrointestinal symptoms (eg, abdominal pain) and psychological factors. Study design Cross-sectional study with children ages 7–17 years (n = 143) with a pediatric Rome III IBS diagnosis recruited from both primary and tertiary clinics between January 2009 and January 2014. Subjects completed 14-day prospective pain and stool diaries, as well as validated questionnaires assessing several psychological factors (somatization, depression, anxiety) and Tanner stage. Stool form ratings were completed using the Bristol Stool Form Scale. Results Girls with higher Tanner scores (more mature pubertal development) had both decreased pain severity and pain interference; in contrast, boys with higher Tanner scores had both increasing pain severity (β = 0.40, P = .02) and pain interference (β = 0.16, P = .02). Girls (vs boys), irrespective of pubertal status, had both increased somatic complaints (P = .005) and a higher percentage (P = .01) of hard (Bristol Stool Form Scale type 1 or 2) stools. Pubertal status and sex did not significantly relate to IBS subtype, pain frequency, stooling frequency, anxiety, or depression. Conclusions In children with IBS, both pubertal development and/or sex are associated with abdominal pain severity, stool form, and somatization. These differences provide insight into the role of pubertal maturation during the transition from childhood to adult IBS.

The role of psychological factors in pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders

“…Compared to healthy controls, children with FAPD report higher somatization scores . Although not clear why, girls tend to report more somatic symptoms than boys . Moreover, children with IBS report more somatic symptoms than children with FAP .…”

“…13,24,28,37,49 Although not clear why, girls tend to report more somatic symptoms than boys. 50 Moreover, children with IBS report more somatic symptoms than children with FAP. 28,29 Furthermore, somatization is an important predictor of outcomes in children with FAPD.…”

A krónikus fájdalom lehetséges rizikótényezői és következményei a magyar tizenévesek körében

“…Kutatásunk megerősítette azokat a korábbi nemzetközi eredményeket is, amelyek alapján a krónikus fájdalom lányok körében gyakoribb. A jelenség a fájdalomérzékelés és -feldolgozás nemi különbségeivel magyarázható [12][13][14].…”

A New Piece in the Puzzle of Pediatric Irritable Bowel Syndrome

“…In this volume of The Journal, Chumpitazi et al 12 provide new insights into the role of pubertal maturation and sex in the clinical presentation of childhood IBS. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study with children ages 7-17 years who met pediatric Rome III IBS diagnosis.…”

“…The authors hypothesized that the interaction is linked to a combination of different sex-specific physiologic responses and personal factors. 15 Chumpitazi et al 12 relied on self-reported Tanner stage as opposed to assessment by a health professional, however, this technique has been reported to correlate with physical examination by a physician and in some instances with hormonal levels. [16][17][18] The phase of the menstrual cycle was not considered in menstruating adolescents, which as discussed influences IBS-pain characteristics.…”