ABSTRACT
Introducción: El dolor abdominal crónico (DAC) en la infancia es un motivo de consulta frecuente que afecta a la vida familiar, y en ocasiones precisa realización de pruebas complementarias. El objetivo fue realizar el análisis cualitativo, cuantitativo y económico de las pruebas que se solicitan.Pacientes y métodos: Estudio observacional, prospectivo y multicéntrico, incluyendo pacientes entre 4-15 años con DAC. Se diferenciaron 2 grupos: orgánico y funcional. Se recogieron las siguientes variables: clínicas, pruebas complementarias y su coste.Resultados: Se incluyeron 235 niños con DAC (edad media 9,7±2,7 años). Un 79% resultaron trastornos funcionales y un 21% orgánicos. Casi la mitad de los pacientes presentaba algún tipo de síntoma o signo de alarma, pero solo la clínica miccional se asoció con organicidad. La ecografía abdominal, estudio de parásitos en heces, test de hidrógeno espirado y gastroscopia son las que más se asociaron con enfermedad orgánica. Existía una diferencia apreciable entre el coste de las pruebas según cada centro. El gasto económico total fue de 52.490,8euros, siendo 195euros por paciente para los funcionales y 306euros para los orgánicos.Conclusiones: Los síntomas y signos de alarma en el DAC son frecuentes, pero poco específicos. La ecografía abdominal y el estudio de parásitos podrían ser pruebas útiles de primer nivel por su inocuidad para diferenciar TO de TDAF. La gastroscopia y el test de hidrógeno espirado fueron las pruebas más discriminativas de organicidad. El coste económico invertido en pruebas para la orientación diagnóstica del DAC de origen funcional es elevado. (AU)
Introduction: Chronic abdominal pain (CAP) in children is a symptom that frequently leads to a visit to the paediatrician, which affects family life and occasionally requires the need to perform diagnostic studies (DS). The objective was to carry out a qualitative, quantitative, and economic analysis on the tests requested.Patients and methods: An observational, prospective and multicentre study was conducted that included children between 4-15 years old affected by CAP. The difference between organic and functional disorders was taken into account. The following variables were collected: history, warning signs and symptoms, DS, and the cost of these.Results: The study included 235 children with CAP (Age; mean 9.7±2.7 SD). The large majority (79%) were functional disorders and 21% organic disorders. Almost half of the patients had some warning sign or symptom, but urinary symptoms were only associated with organic disorders. The abdominal ultrasound, faecal parasites, breath test, and endoscopy were the most associated with organic disorders. There was a difference between the costs of the DS according to each centre. The total economic cost was 52,490.80 euros, with 195 euros per patient for functional disorders and 306 euros for organic disorders.Conclusion: Signs and symptoms of alarm in CAP were very frequent, but had low discriminative capacity. The abdominal ultrasound and faecal parasites are innocuous DS, and could be useful as a first level study. The endoscopy and the breath test were the most discriminative of organic disease. The economic cost of DS arising from the diagnosis of exclusion in CAP was high. (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Abdominal Pain/diagnostic imaging , Abdominal Pain/diagnosis , Abdominal Pain/economics , Prospective Studies , Illness BehaviorABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Chronic abdominal pain (CAP) in children is a symptom that frequently leads to a visit to the paediatrician, which affects family life and occasionally requires the need to perform diagnostic studies (DS). The objective was to carry out a qualitative, quantitative, and economic analysis on the tests requested. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational, prospective and multicentre study was conducted that included children between 4-15 years old affected by CAP. The difference between organic and functional disorders was taken into account. The following variables were collected: history, warning signs and symptoms, DS, and the cost of these. RESULTS: The study included 235 children with CAP (Age; mean 9.7 ± 2.7 SD). The large majority (79%) were functional disorders and 21% organic disorders. Almost half of the patients had some warning sign or symptom, but urinary symptoms were only associated with organic disorders. The abdominal ultrasound, faecal parasites, breath test, and endoscopy were the most associated with organic disorders. There was a difference between the costs of the DS according to each centre. The total economic cost was 52,490.80 euros, with 195 euros per patient for functional disorders and 306 euros for organic disorders. CONCLUSION: Signs and symptoms of alarm in CAP were very frequent, but had low discriminative capacity. The abdominal ultrasound and faecal parasites are innocuous DS, and could be useful as a first level study. The endoscopy and the breath test were the most discriminative of organic disease. The economic cost of DS arising from the diagnosis of exclusion in CAP was high.
Subject(s)
Abdominal Pain , Breath Tests , Abdominal Pain/diagnosis , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Diagnostic Tests, Routine , Feces , Humans , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: European guidelines for the diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) have been updated in 2020. The primary objective was to review the compliance with the diagnostic criteria for CD, according to ESPGHAN 2012. Secondarily, to describe the clinical characteristics of the patients and to assess the changes that would be implied by the application of the new 2020 criteria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective multicenter study in which 10 centers participated. Patients from 0 to 16 years old with a new diagnosis of CD in 2018-2019 were included. Clinical, serological variables and the performance of intestinal biopsy (IB) were collected. RESULTS: 163 patients were included (57% female) with a median age of 7.6 years (SD 4.4). The form of presentation was: 47.8% classical, 30.7% no classical and 21.5% asymptomatic, with differences depending on age. Total IgA and anti-transglutaminase IgA antibodies were performed in all centers as the first diagnostic step. IgA anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA) were performed in 80%, and HLA haplotype in 95%. Of the total, 78 cases (47.9%) met criteria for not performing intestinal biopsy (IB). IB was indicated in the remaining 85 patients, but was not performed in 29 cases (17.8%). The performance of IB was lower in the secondary hospitals than in the tertiary ones (p < 0.05). If we applied the ESPGHAN 2020 criteria, we would disregard the HLA study, and 21 more patients would not have required IB (going from 47.9% to 60.7% of the total). CONCLUSIONS: Discrepancies are observed in the application of the ESPGHAN 2012 diagnostic criteria due to the different accessibility to EMA and endoscopic IB in secondary centers. With the ESPGHAN-2020 criteria, around 60% of patients will be able to be diagnosed without IB, provided that the determination of EMA is ensured.
