Abstract
Objective Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a serious complication of
coronavirus disease 2019 which causes a hyperinflammatory syndrome that can affect
all organ systems. Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are a heterogeneous
disease spectrum with unclear etiology. Today, it is known that low-grade inflammation
can cause FGIDs. Our aim in this study was to investigate whether there is a higher
frequency of FGID in children diagnosed with MIS-C.
Methods In this study, 48 pediatric patients diagnosed with MIS-C were evaluated for functional
gastrointestinal diseases according to the Rome IV criteria at least 6 months after
diagnosis. The control group consisted of 61 pediatric patients without any chronic
disease.
Results In our study, the overall prevalence of FGIDs was 54.1% (n = 26) in the patient group and 22.9% (n = 14) in the control group. The difference between the groups was statistically significant
(p < 0.001). The frequencies of undiagnosed abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome,
constipation, and dyspepsia were 41.6% (n = 20), 12.5% (n = 6), 8.3% (n = 4), and 6.2% (n = 3) in the patient group, respectively. In the control group, the corresponding
rates were 9.8% (n = 6), 3.2% (n = 2), 4.9% (n = 3), and 4.9% (n = 3), respectively. A significant difference was observed between the patient and
control groups in terms of functional abdominal pain (p < 0.001).
Conclusion The overall frequency of FGIDs and the prevalence of functional abdominal pain were
higher in MIS-C patients than in control subjects. The data from this study support
the hypothesis that FGIDs are more common in patients diagnosed with MIS-C than in
healthy controls.
Keywords
children - functional gastrointestinal disorders - MIS-C - pediatric - Rome IV
