Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: The Use of Lactobacillus gg in Functional Abdominal Pain in Children: a Double-blind Randomized Control Trial
Brief Summary: Probiotics play an important role in preventing overgrowth of potentially pathogenic bacteria and maintaining the integrity of the gut mucosal barrier. The beneficial effects of probiotics have been previously studied in adult patients with IBS. Even though most of the studies demonstrate efficacy, other studies do not support these observations. Few studies addresses the efficacy of probiotics in children with IBS. The goal of the present study was to determine whether oral administration of the probiotic Lactobacillus GG under randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions would improve symptoms of children with abdominal pain.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients were considered for study inclusion, if they were 4 - 12 years of age and had if they had a pain history of at least 12 weeks (which need not be consecutive) in the preceding 12 months suggestive for IBS or FAP with no structural or metabolic abnormalities to explain the symptoms and according to the Rome II diagnostic criteria valid at the time of the design of the study.
* IBS was diagnosed in presence of an abdominal discomfort or pain with at least two of three features:

  * relieved with defecation
  * onset associated with a change in stool frequency
  * onset associated with a change in the form (appearance) of the stool.
* FAP was diagnosed in presence of symptoms of
* Continuous (nearly continuous) abdominal pain
* No or only occasional relation of pain with physiological events (e.g. eating, menses)
* Some loss of daily functioning
* The pain is not feigned (e.g. malingering)
* The patient has insufficient criteria for other functional gastrointestinal disorders that would explain the abdominal pain.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Known concomitant psychiatric, neurological, metabolic, hepatic, renal, infectious, haematological, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease
* Treatment with antibiotics/probiotics in the last 2 months
* A pain history suggestive for functional dyspepsia or aerophagia or abdominal migrain
* Growth failure
* Gastroparesis
* Gastrointestinal obstructions/stricture
* Any disease that may affect bowel motility such as diabetes, connective disease or poorly controlled hypo/hyperthyrodism
* Previous abdominal surgery.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 4-18years;
* Diagnosis of FD and IBS pain according to the Rome III criteria
* All parents or legal tutors must sign an informed consent document indicating their awareness of the investigational nature of this study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Taking any other type of probiotic in the 2 months prior to enrollment
* Presence of intestinal motility disorders
* Presence of any other significant medical condition
* Presence of previous abdominal surgery
* Inability or unwillingness to give informed consent
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Healthy children

Exclusion Criteria:

* Any chronic or organic illness
D: Inclusion criteria:

* IBS subject meeting the Rome III criteria , with a discomfort or pain present more than 1 day per week in whom organic causes of their symptoms have been excluded
* IBS-C with less than 3 complete spontaneous bowel movements/week
* IBS-D with at least 2 or more days/week one stool which has consistency of type 6 or 7 Bristol stool score
* Subject able of and willing to comply with the protocol and to give their written informed consents

Exclusion criteria:

* History of chronic gastrointestinal disorders
* History of lactose intolerance
* History of gluten intolerance
* Treatment able to influence IBS, modifying intestinal sensitivity and motility (antidepressants,opioid, narcotic analgesics)
* Eating disorders
* Pregnancy in progress

Answer: A