A Palorath et al. Am J Gastroenterol 2026; 121: 242-247. Acute Gastroenteritis Is a Risk Factor for the Development of Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction in Children
Methods: A prospective, controlled, cohort study. Children (1-15 years) with recent AGE (cases) and siblings (controls) were followed for 6 months. We assessed DGBIs using a validated questionnaire (QPGS IV) per Rome criteria. Patients with underlying GI disorders (eg. Celiac, IBD, recent abdominal surgery) were excluded.
Key findings:
- Among children without a history of DGBI before the AGE, 6 (12.2%) cases vs 0 control were diagnosed with DGBI (P = 0.01) at follow-up at 3 months
- At 6 months, 5 cases (1 lost to follow-up) vs 0 control had persistent DGBI (P = 0.03)
- Severity of AGE was correlated with PI-DGBI. Severe AGE included abdominal pain, ED consullt, and need for IV fluids
My take: It is well-known that previous AGE increases the risk of PI-DGBIs, especially irritable bowel syndrome. However, this is the first prospective cohort study showing this association between AGE and DGBIs in a nonoutbreak setting. In addition, it correlates the risk of DGBI with the severity of AGE.
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