Tag Archives: rumination syndrome

Impact of Testing (or No Testing) for Rumination Syndrome Outcomes

Posted on by

JS Khoo et al. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2025;80:611–616. Impact of diagnostic testing on outcomes of children with rumination syndrome

Background: “A prior study from our institution showed that many patients undergo extensive diagnostic testing, which is associated with high financial cost with low clinical yield and delay in diagnosis.”

Methods: This was a retrospective study with 152 children (60% female, median age of diagnosis 13 years) with rumination syndrome (RS). 22 patients (14%) had diagnostic testing that confirmed RS.

Key findings:

  • The confirmatory testing group was more likely to need supplemental nutrition (p ≤ 0.001) and to receive intensive treatment (68% vs 24%) (p < 0.001)
  • After treatment, the proportion of patients without vomiting increased in both groups without a statistically significant difference between the two groups or needing supplemental nutrition.

Discussion Points:

“Our findings reveal that despite advancements in testing methodologies, undergoing diagnostic testing and receiving a positive result for RS is not associated with improved outcomes, specifically in cessation of vomiting, after treatment. In situations where patients and caregivers have difficulty accepting the clinical diagnosis, selective testing may be justified as acceptance of the diagnosis is a crucial aspect of the therapeutic plan for all gut-brain interaction disorders.”

Limitations included selection bias. While there were not overt differences in outcomes, the confirmatory testing group required more intensive treatment. As such, the testing may have some benefit in this group (though this was not identified in this retrospective study).

My take (borrowed in part from the authors): “We recommend that clinicians avoid diagnostic testing in children who clearly meet symptom-based criteria for RS and accept the diagnosis.”

Related blog posts:

Train bridge near Chickamauga dam (Tennessee River).
There is a blue heron about to take flight due to the oncoming train

Internet Survey: Lots of People Have Rumination

Posted on by

A Josefsson et al. Gastroenterol 2022; 162: 731-742. Open Access: Global Prevalence and Impact of Rumination Syndrome

Key findings:

  • Using internet surveys from 26 countries (54,127 subjects), the authors identified an overall prevalence of rumination syndrome of 3.1% (Rome IV criteria)
  • Factors independently associated with rumination syndrome were depression (odds ratio [OR], 1.46), anxiety (OR, 1.8), body mass index (OR, 1.04), and female sex (OR, 1.19)
  • Limitations: this was “an Internet survey with self-reported symptoms. In clinical practice, investigations, including endoscopy and esophageal manometry, are often carried out, so we cannot completely exclude that some subjects had other conditions, misclassified as rumination syndrome” (especially reflux)
  • As noted in the commentary (pgs 696-697), the prevalance drops to 0.122% in those with daily symptoms, which is common in tertiary referral centers, the prevalence drops to 0.122%

My take: Rumination syndrome is common and likely underdiagnosed.

Related blog posts:

The Half Empty Glass: Rumination Outcomes

Posted on by

Briefly noted:

A Alioto, C DiLorenzo. JPGN 2018; 66: 21-25.  In this study based on patient follow-up questionnaires, among 47 adolescents with rumination syndome who received inpatient treatment, Key findings:

  • ~20% reported complete cessation of rumination for at least 6 months; though, even in this group, 73% had at least some recurrent symptoms.
  • 40% reported a reduction in rumination intensity following discharge and ~80% reported having at least one day with no rumination.
  • Triggers for recurrence of rumination symptoms included stress (51.4%), illness (27%), menstruation (10.8%), and certain foods (18.9%).
  • Treatment of rumination syndrome helped eliminate the need for supplemental tube feedings in the “vast majority of patients.”

One important limitation of this study is the patient selection; this group of inpatients with rumination syndrome at a specialized center likely had more severe rumination syndrome.

My take: Like many GI conditions, the expectation for rumination syndrome should probably be improvement/management rather than resolution/cure.

Signage on Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon