Journal List > Korean J Gastroenterol > v.71(2) > 1007773

Ryu and Choi: Clinical Approach to Abdominal Pain as Functional Origin

Abstract

Abdominal pain and treatment should be administered in accordance with the causes. A meticulous history taking and physical examination are highly useful in making a diagnosis, and blood tests, imaging modalities, and endoscopy are useful for confirming diagnosis. However, in many cases, patients have functional disorders with no obvious abnormal findings obtained even if many diagnostic tests are performed. Patients with functional disorders usually complain the vague abdominal pain located in the center and other portions of the abdominal area. Although the most representative disease is irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain syndrome is currently researched as a new disease entity of functional abdominal pain. As various receptors related to functional abdominal pain have been discovered, drugs associated with those receptors are used to treat the disorders, and additional new drugs are vigorously developed. In addition, medical therapy with pharmacological or non-pharmacological psychiatric treatment is effective for treating functional abdominal pain.

Figures and Tables

Table 1

Rome Diagnostic Criteria for Functional Abdominal Pain Syndrome (FAPS) and Centrally Mediated Abdominal Pain Syndrome (CAPS)

kjg-71-89-i001

aCriteria fulfilled for the last 3 months with symptom onset at least 6 months prior to diagnosis; bCriteria fulfilled for the last 3 months with symptom onset at least 6 months before diagnosis; cCAPS is typically associated with psychiatric comorbidity, but there is no specific profile that can be used for diagnosis; dSome degree of gastrointestinal dysfunction may be present; eDaily function could include impairments in work, intimacy, social/leisure, family life, and caregiving for self or others.

Notes

Financial support None.

Conflict of interest None.

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