Functional gastrointestinal disorders, quality of life, and behaviour in adolescents with history of infant colic

Abstract

AbstractAimTo assess the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), health‐related quality of life (HRQOL), and behavioural problems in a cohort of adolescents with a history of infant colic (IC), as defined by Wessel's criteria.Methods388 adolescents, aged 15–18 years, who participated in a randomised controlled trial for infants with colic, were invited for our observational follow‐up study. Prevalence of FGIDs was assessed with the Rome IV Questionnaire on Paediatric Gastrointestinal Disorders (RIV‐QPGD), HRQOL through self‐report of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), and behavioural problems through parent‐report of the child behaviour checklist (CBCL). Multivariable models were used to compare prevalence rates of FGIDs and HRQOL scores.Results190 (49%) adolescents with a history of IC (cases) and 381 controls were included (median age 17.0 [IQR 16.0–17.0] and 16.0 [15.0–17.0] years, respectively). Cases had a significantly higher risk for postprandial distress syndrome compared to controls (aOR 2.49 (95%CI 1.18–5.25), p = 0.002). After multivariable regression, total, physical and school HRQOL scores were significantly lower in cases compared to controls (p = 0.003, 0.001, and 0.009).ConclusionAdolescents with a history of IC demonstrate higher prevalence rates of postprandial distress syndrome compared to controls. However, conclusions should be made with caution due to attrition and information bias.