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The overall prevalence of celiac disease in adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is reported as fourfold higher than in controls. Italian researchers examined the prevalence of celiac disease in nearly 1000 consecutive children (mean age, 7 years) referred to a tertiary gastroenterology clinic for recurrent abdominal pain.
After history, physical exam, growth evaluation, and lab tests, 13% of children were diagnosed with an organic disorder. Using Rome III criteria (≥2 months of frequent abdominal discomfort or pain and 2 of the following: relief with defecation, change in stool frequency, change in stool appearance), 27% met criteria for IBS, 20% for functional dyspepsia, and 31% for functional abdominal pain. The remaining 8% had con…