Prevalence of Infant Dyschezia: Experience of the Working Group on Disorders of the Gut-Brain Interaction of the Latin American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (LASPGHAN)

Abstract

Introduction. According to the Rome IV Criteria infantile dyschezia has a worldwide prevalence of 2.0%, and according to the Rome III Criteria it ranges from 3.2% to 35.0% in Latin America.

Objective. To determine the prevalence of infant dyschezia and associated brain-gut axis disorders in Latin American infants under 9 months of age, according to the Rome IV Criteria.

Materials and methods. This was a descriptive, observational, non-experimental prevalence-type study conducted in seven Latin American countries. The study included infants under 9 months of age diagnosed with infantile dyschezia using the Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptom Questionnaire Rome IV and who were registered in the database of the Functional International Digestive Epidemiological Research Survey. Sociodemographic, family, clinical, environmental, and nutritional variables were analyzed.

Results. A total of 1,241 children (4.6 +/-2.6 months; 53.3% male; 59.2% mixed-race) were included in the study. Infantile dyschezia was diagnosed in 2.9% of cases. The peak age of presentation was 4 months. The main gut-brain axis disorders found were colic (8.1%), regurgitation (7.6%), and constipation (7.1%). Overlapping disorders were found in 3.2% of cases. Infantile dyschezia was more common in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, in public institutions, in patients treated by pediatric gastroenterologists, breastfed, and not bottle-fed (p < 0.05).

Conclusion. The prevalence of dyschezia in Latin American infants under 9 months of age is slightly lower than the global reported rate, was higher during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period, and is mainly diagnosed in public institutions by a pediatric gastroenterologist.