Evaluation of the prevalance of abdominal migraine in children with chronic recurrent abdomi̇nal pain

Abdominal migraine is a functional abdominal pain disorder seen in 0,2% to 4,1% of children. We aimed to evaluate abdominal migraine, especially in children brought to the pediatric gastroenterology outpatient clinic with chronic recurrent abdominal pain. We wanted to contribute to the consideration of abdominal migraine as a differential diagnosis for patients presenting with chronic abdominal pain. Our research is a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in pediatric gastroenterology outpatient clinic in our hospital between November 2021 and November 2022. Patients aged 4-18 years who applied to the pediatric gastroenterology outpatient clinic with the complaint of chronic recurrent abdominal pain were included in the study. Patients who met the inclusion criteria in the first six months were followed up in the second six months and their definitive diagnosis was confirmed. The cases were divided into three groups according to their definitive diagnosis: abdominal migraine group, functional gastrointestinal system disease other than abdominal migraine group, and organic disease group. The groups were evaluated in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory and imaging findings. Of 160 patients who met the inclusion criteria 62,50% (n=100) were female, and 37,50% (n=60) were male, with a mean age of 138,83 ± 47,86 (min=60, max=216). Height z-score means -0,21±0,08, weight z-score means -0,38±0,09, and body mass index z-score median value -0,29 and 1st quartile -1,28, 3rd quartile 0,69 calculated. The abdominal migraine group was 8,12% (n=13), the group of functional gastrointestinal diseases other than abdominal migraine group 47,50%(n=76), and the organic disease group was 44,38% (n=71). The localization of pain was in the periumbilical region in the abdominal migraine group and the organic disease group pain was mostly localized in the epigastric region; the difference was statistically significant (p=0,000). The duration of abdominal pain was statistically significantly longer in the abdominal migraine group than the other two groups (p=0,001). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of laboratory and imaging findings. It was determined that 26,76% of the cases in the organic disease group and 14,47% of the cases in the functional gastrointestinal disease group other than abdominal migraine met all criteria for abdominal migraine. Abdominal migraine is a clinical diagnosis. There is no specific laboratory test or imaging method for diagnosis. Therefore, abdominal migraine should be kept in mind as a differential diagnosis in the presence of chronic recurrent abdominal pain. Keywords: Abdominal migraine, pain, child