Long-Term Risk for Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in Children with Functional Abdominal Pain

Louis M. Bell, MD

In a prospective study, children with functional abdominal pain were more likely to have anxiety disorders in adolescence and young adulthood.

Researchers prospectively tracked and evaluated the development of psychiatric disorders in 334 consecutive children (age range, 8–17 years) diagnosed with functional abdominal pain (FAP) and 159 age-matched controls. The children were evaluated at baseline and 4 to 16 years later (age range, 12–32 years) with comprehensive validated measures of mental health.

At follow-up, a higher percentage of FAP patients met the diagnostic criteria for both lifetime and current anxiety disorders than controls (51% vs. 20% and 30% vs. 12%, respectively). At follow-up, those with a history of FAP were 4.9 times more likely to have an anxiety disorder during their lifetime and 3.6 more likely to have current anxiety disorder, after controlling for gender and age. Lifetime risk for depressive disorders also was higher in the FAP group (40% vs. 16%). Interestingly, the initial onset of an anxiety disorder was more often prior to the initial FAP evaluation while the onset of depressive disorders was often after diagnosis of FAP.

Citation(s):

Shelby GD et al. Functional abdominal pain in childhood and long-term vulnerability to anxiety disorders. Pediatrics 2013 Sep; 132:475. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-2191)