Gastric motility and pulmonary function in children with functional abdominal pain disorders and asthma: A pathophysiological study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 17; no. 1; p. e0262086
• Main Authors: Kumari, Manori Vijaya, Amarasiri, Lakmali, Rajindrajith, Shaman, Devanarayana, Niranga Manjuri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 04-01-2022; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal Pain - diagnostic imaging; Abdominal Pain - physiopathology; Abdominal pain in children; Air flow; Asthma; Asthma - diagnostic imaging; Asthma - physiopathology; Asthma in children; Biology and Life Sciences; Bronchodilators; Case-Control Studies; Child; Children; Comparative studies; Complications and side effects; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disorders; Ethics; Female; Flow velocity; Forced Expiratory Volume; Gastric Emptying; Gastric motility; Gastrointestinal system; Humans; Inflammation; Irritable bowel syndrome; Laboratories; Lung - physiopathology; Lungs; Male; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Motility; Motor activity; Muscle function; Muscles; Pain; Parameters; Pediatric research; People and Places; Physiological aspects; Physiology; Pulmonary functions; Quality of life; Research and Analysis Methods; Respiratory function; Respiratory Function Tests; Risk factors; Smooth muscle; Spirometry; Steroids; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography; Sri Lanka
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262086

An association has been shown between functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPDs) and asthma. However, the exact reason for this association is obscured. The main objective of this study is to identify the possible underlying pathophysiological mechanisms for the association between FAPDs and asthma using gastric motility and lung function tests.
This was a cross-sectional comparative study that consisted of four study groups. Twenty-four children (age 7-12 years) each were recruited for four study groups; asthma only, FAPDs only, both asthma and FAPDs, and healthy controls. Asthma was diagnosed using the history and bronchodilator reversibility test. The diagnosis of FAPDs was made using Rome IV criteria. All subjects underwent ultrasound assessment of gastric motility and pulmonary function assessment by spirometry, using validated techniques.
All gastric motility parameters, gastric emptying rate, amplitude of antral contraction, and antral motility index, were significantly impaired in children with FAPDs only, children with asthma only, and children with both asthma & FAPDs, compared to controls (p<0.05). Pulmonary function parameters indicating airway obstruction (FEV1/FVC ratio, peak expiratory flow rate, FEF25-75%) were not impaired in children with FAPDs only compared to controls (p>0.05), but significantly impaired in children with asthma and children with both disorders. Antral motility index correlated with the FEV1/FVC ratio (r = 0.60, p = 0.002) and FEF25%-75% (r = 0.49, p = 0.01) in children with both asthma and FAPDs.
Gastric motor functions were significantly impaired in children with asthma, children with FAPDs, and children with both disorders. Motility index, measuring overall gastric motor activity, showed a significant positive correlation with lung function parameters that measure airflow limitation. Therefore, these diseases might arise as a result of primary disturbance of smooth muscle activity in the airways and gastrointestinal wall, which could be a possible pathophysiological mechanism for this association between asthma and FAPDs.