Analysis of the structure of comorbidity in children with gastrointestinal tract pathologies

Abstract

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract take the second place in the structure of somatic pathology in children and adolescents. The number of cases of comorbid pathology also tends to increase. The combination of the most common diseases can be both random and causal relationship, the determination of which is important for improving the health care of the child population. Objective — to analyse of comorbidities in children with gastrointestinal diseases based on the results of the city specialized children’s gastroenterological department work. Materials and methods. The performance indicators of Kharkiv City Children’s Clinical Hospital No19 for the period from 01.01.2019 to 31.12.2019 were studied. During 2019, 2633 children aged 5 to 18 years (average age: 10.6±2.9 years) with diseases of the digestive system were hospitalized. Results. The presence of comorbidity was established in 73.6% of children. The most common among children with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract were manifestations of diseases of the nervous system — 31.8%. Diseases of the endocrine system — 15.4% and cardiovascular system — 15.7% were equally represented. A fairly common pathological condition in patients with gastrointestinal diseases was anemia, which was established in 8.1%. Visual impairment was found in 2.7% children, which coincides with the prevalence of this pathology among the general children’s population. Conclusions. The leading place is held by the gastroduodenal pathology, notably chronic gastroduodenitis. The presence of comorbidity from other organs and systems was established in 73.6% of children with gastrointestinal diseases. The most common comorbidity in diseases of the gastroduodenal zone are diseases of the nervous system. The greatest chances of combining pathological conditions with the development of comorbid pathology are diseases of the gastroduodenal zone and nervous system, intestines and autoimmune thyroiditis, gastroesophageal reflux diseases and obesity. The results suggest the necessity of additional examination of children with gastrointestinal pathology in order to early diagnosis of comorbidity and provide the required comprehensive assistance.