%0 Journal Article %J Am J Gastroenterol %D 2010 %T Cognitive-behavioral therapy for children with functional abdominal pain and their parents decreases pain and other symptoms. %A Levy, Rona L %A Langer, Shelby L %A Walker, Lynn S %A Romano, Joan M %A Christie, Dennis L %A Youssef, Nader %A DuPen, Melissa M %A Feld, Andrew D %A Ballard, Sheri A %A Welsh, Ericka M %A Jeffery, Robert W %A Young, Melissa %A Coffey, Melissa J %A Whitehead, William E %K Abdominal Pain %K Adaptation, Psychological %K Adolescent %K Child %K Cognitive Therapy %K Disability Evaluation %K Female %K Humans %K Linear Models %K Male %K Pain Measurement %K Parent-Child Relations %K Parents %K Prospective Studies %K Treatment Outcome %X

OBJECTIVES: Unexplained abdominal pain in children has been shown to be related to parental responses to symptoms. This randomized controlled trial tested the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve outcomes in idiopathic childhood abdominal pain by altering parental responses to pain and children's ways of coping and thinking about their symptoms.

METHODS: Two hundred children with persistent functional abdominal pain and their parents were randomly assigned to one of two conditions-a three-session intervention of cognitive-behavioral treatment targeting parents' responses to their children's pain complaints and children's coping responses, or a three-session educational intervention that controlled for time and attention. Parents and children were assessed at pretreatment, and 1 week, 3 months, and 6 months post-treatment. Outcome measures were child and parent reports of child pain levels, function, and adjustment. Process measures included parental protective responses to children's symptom reports and child coping methods.

RESULTS: Children in the cognitive-behavioral condition showed greater baseline to follow-up decreases in pain and gastrointestinal symptom severity (as reported by parents) than children in the comparison condition (time x treatment interaction, P<0.01). Also, parents in the cognitive-behavioral condition reported greater decreases in solicitous responses to their child's symptoms compared with parents in the comparison condition (time x treatment interaction, P<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: An intervention aimed at reducing protective parental responses and increasing child coping skills is effective in reducing children's pain and symptom levels compared with an educational control condition.

%B Am J Gastroenterol %V 105 %P 946-56 %8 2010 Apr %G eng %N 4 %R 10.1038/ajg.2010.106 %0 Journal Article %J Am J Gastroenterol %D 2010 %T Inability of the Rome III criteria to distinguish functional constipation from constipation-subtype irritable bowel syndrome. %A Wong, Reuben K %A Palsson, Olafur S %A Turner, Marsha J %A Levy, Rona L %A Feld, Andrew D %A von Korff, Michael %A Whitehead, William E %K Adult %K Aged %K Constipation %K Diagnosis, Differential %K Female %K Humans %K Irritable Bowel Syndrome %K Male %K Middle Aged %K Patient Selection %K Prospective Studies %K Quality of Life %K Statistics, Nonparametric %K Surveys and Questionnaires %X

OBJECTIVES: The Rome III classification system treats functional constipation (FC) and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) as distinct disorders, but this distinction appears artificial, and the same drugs are used to treat both. This study's hypothesis is that FC and IBS-C defined by Rome III are not distinct entities.

METHODS: In all, 1,100 adults with a primary care visit for constipation and 1,700 age- and gender-matched controls from a health maintenance organization completed surveys 12 months apart; 66.2% returned the first questionnaire. Rome III criteria identified 231 with FC and 201 with IBS-C. The second survey was completed by 195 of the FC and 141 of the IBS-C cohorts. Both surveys assessed the severity of constipation and IBS, quality of life (QOL), and psychological distress.

RESULTS: (i) Overlap: if the Rome III requirement that patients meeting criteria for IBS cannot be diagnosed with FC is suspended, 89.5% of IBS-C cases meet criteria for FC and 43.8% of FC patients fulfill criteria for IBS-C. (ii) No qualitative differences between FC and IBS-C: 44.8% of FC patients report abdominal pain, and paradoxically IBS-C patients have more constipation symptoms than FC. (iii) Switching between diagnoses: by 12 months, 1/3 of FC transition to IBS-C and 1/3 of IBS-C change to FC.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients identified by Rome III criteria for FC and IBS-C are not distinct groups. Revisions to the Rome III criteria, possibly including incorporation of physiological tests of transit and pelvic floor function, are needed.

%B Am J Gastroenterol %V 105 %P 2228-34 %8 2010 Oct %G eng %N 10 %R 10.1038/ajg.2010.200 %0 Journal Article %J BMC Complement Altern Med %D 2008 %T Complementary and alternative medicine use and cost in functional bowel disorders: a six month prospective study in a large HMO. %A van Tilburg, Miranda A L %A Palsson, Olafur S %A Levy, Rona L %A Feld, Andrew D %A Turner, Marsha J %A Drossman, Douglas A %A Whitehead, William E %K Abdominal Pain %K Adult %K Complementary Therapies %K Constipation %K Cost-Benefit Analysis %K Delivery of Health Care, Integrated %K Diarrhea %K Female %K Ginger %K Health Maintenance Organizations %K Humans %K Irritable Bowel Syndrome %K Male %K Massage %K Middle Aged %K Patient Satisfaction %K Phytotherapy %K Professional-Patient Relations %K Prospective Studies %K Surveys and Questionnaires %K United States %K Yoga %X

BACKGROUND: Functional Bowel Disorders (FBD) are chronic disorders that are difficult to treat and manage. Many patients and doctors are dissatisfied with the level of improvement in symptoms that can be achieved with standard medical care which may lead them to seek alternatives for care. There are currently no data on the types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) used for FBDs other than Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or on the economic costs of CAM treatments. The aim of this study is to determine prevalence, types and costs of CAM in IBS, functional diarrhea, functional constipation, and functional abdominal pain.

METHODS: 1012 Patients with FBD were recruited through a health care maintenance organization and followed for 6 months. Questionnaires were used to ascertain: Utilization and expenditures on CAM, symptom severity (IBS-SS), quality of life (IBS-QoL), psychological distress (BSI) and perceived treatment effectiveness. Costs for conventional medical care were extracted from administrative claims.

RESULTS: CAM was used by 35% of patients, at a median yearly cost of $200. The most common CAM types were ginger, massage therapy and yoga. CAM use was associated with female gender, higher education, and anxiety. Satisfaction with physician care and perceived effectiveness of prescription medication were not associated with CAM use. Physician referral to a CAM provider was uncommon but the majority of patients receiving this recommendation followed their physician's advice.

CONCLUSION: CAM is used by one-third of FBD patients. CAM use does not seem to be driven by dissatisfaction with conventional care. Physicians should discuss CAM use and effectiveness with their patients and refer patients if appropriate.

%B BMC Complement Altern Med %V 8 %P 46 %8 2008 %G eng %R 10.1186/1472-6882-8-46