Publication:

Study profile of recurrent pain abdomen in children examined by ultrasonography

Background Abdominal pain is a frequent condition in children, pain localization in younger children is poor, and in a suffering child, physical examination is often limited, thus, sonographic evaluation of the abdomen is frequently performed in children to investigate the reason for the pain and to exclude other acute abdominal surgical conditions. With the routine use of high-frequency transducers, detection of enlarged abdominal lymph nodes (EALNs) is very common.

Methods After approval from ethical committee 50 patients within age range from 1 to 16 years attending paediatric department at BLDE Shri BM Patil medical college hospital Bijapur, Karnataka, India from January 2014 to December 2014 presenting with abdominal pain of various etiological causes subjected to ultrasonographic examination were included in this study.

Results Maximum numbers (46%) of patients are from 5-8 years age group, more number of boys (54%) is affected as compared with the girls. Maximum (62%) patients had total of 1-5 episodes and next infrequency are patients of multiple episodes, 30 % of patients had school loss due to pain abdomen. Right lower quadrant of the abdomen was most commonly affected (30%) followed by left lower (24%) and para-aortic (16%).

Conclusions We can conclude that -EALNs are frequently seen children with pain abdomen 5- 8 yrs with girls more commonly affected than boys. Most paeirnts presented with 1-5 episodes, 30 % of patients had school loss due to pain abdomen. Right lower quadrant of the abdomen was most commonly affected (30%) followed by left lower (24%) and para-aortic (16%).