Higher Rates of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Children with Celiac Disease

Celiac.com 02/27/2023 - Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common in children, but are not connected to physical or biochemical defects. 

We know that celiac disease patients face a higher general risk for FGIDs, functional abdominal pain, even if they closely follow a gluten-free diet. However, even though several studies have evaluated an overlap between FGIDs and organic diseases, little information is available for children. To address this gap, a team of researchers conducted a study to evaluate the prevalence of FGIDs in children with celiac disease after one year of follow-up. 

The Research Team

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The research team included Francesca Fiori Nastro, Maria Rosaria Serra, Sabrina Cenni, Daniela Pacella, Massimo Martinelli, Erasmo Miele, Annamaria Staiano, Carlo Tolone, Renata Auricchio, and Caterina Strisciuglio. They are variously affiliated with theDepartment of Translational Medical Science, Section of Pediatrics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples Italy; the Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples; the Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples; and the Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialistic Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy.

They also compared the prevalence of FGIDs in children with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet with processed foods versus a gluten-free diet with natural products. 

Study to Evaluate the Prevalence of FGIDs in Children with Celiac Disease

The team recruited pediatric patients aged 1-18 years and randomized them into two groups: one on a gluten-free diet with processed foods, and the other on a gluten-free diet with natural products. 

The team conducted clinical monitoring, diet assessments, and questionnaires, and used a 3-day food diary to measure dietary intake. 

The results showed that children with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet have elevated rates of FGIDs, and suggest that FGIDs may be linked to caloric intake and food fat percentage, but this does not change between processed and natural gluten-free diets. 

However, more long-term monitoring is needed to fully evaluate the correlation between FGIDs and different gluten-free diets.

Keywords: Functional gastrointestinal disorders, Celiac disease, Gluten free diet, Gastrointestinal symptoms, Children

Read more at World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28(46): 6589-6598