A Latin American Initiative to Understand Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction in Schoolchildren and Adolescents with Autism

Disorders of Gut-Brain interaction (DGBIs) in children have been associated with alterations in motility, intestinal sensitivity, microbiota, and psychosocial factors. Meanwhile, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) show a high prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms, suggesting a significant gut-brain interaction. Although this relationship has been documented internationally, there is a lack of studies addressing it in Latin America. In this context, the Functional International Digestive Epidemiological Research Survey – FINDERS, composed of pediatric gastroenterologists from the Latin American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition - LASPGHAN, developed a database based on a structured questionnaire that includes sociodemographic, clinical, nutritional, and family-related variables, complemented by the Questionnaire for Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rome IV (QPGS-IV), previously validated to identify DGBIs. This approach allows for accurate characterization of DGBIs presence in children with ASD. The database provides a consistent and replicable tool that can be used in future research to further explore the DGBIs-ASD relationship in various global contexts. Identifying different factors could contribute to more personalized diagnosis and therapeutic interventions in this age group.