Background: Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction (DGBIs) are present in 23.0% of the paediatric population, according to Rome IV. Latin American (LA) prevalence of DGBIs in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of DGBIs and possible associations in schoolchildren and adolescents with ASD from LA. Methods: An observational analytical study was conducted in LA cities. Caregivers of children with ASD completed the Rome IV Questionnaire for Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms to identify DGBIs. Sociodemographic, clinical, and family variables were included. Statistical analysis involved central tendency measures, univariate and bivariate analysis, calculation odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs), with p < 0.05 significance. Results: The study included 353 children with ASD. Predominantly male (78.8%), white (56.1%), attending private schools (79.3%), altered nutritional status (43.9%), born by c-section (57.5%), firstborn (54.7%), level of autism not classified at the time of the study (49.0%). A total of 58.9% presented DGBI. Functional constipation (FC) was the most frequent (27.2%). Those from Central America (CA) had a higher likelihood of presenting a DGBI (OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.25–3.12, p = 0.0018). Conclusions: Over half of LA schoolchildren and adolescents with ASD presented DGBI, FC being the most common, and higher likelihood of DGBI in CA.

Background: Disorders of Gut-Brain-Interaction (DGBIs) are present in 22%-23% according to Rome IV. Latin American (LA) prevalence of DGBIs in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unknown. The aim was to determine the prevalence of DGBIs and possible associations in schoolchildren and adolescents with ASD, from LA. Methods: observational analytical study conducted in six LA cities. Caregivers of children with ASD completed Rome IV Questionnaire for Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptom to identify DGBIs. Sociodemographic, clinical, and family variables were included. Statistical analysis involved central tendency measures, univariate and bivariate analysis, calculation odds ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), with p<0.05 significant. Results: The study included 353 children with ASD. Predominantly male (78.8%), white (56.1%), attending private schools (85.4%), normal nutritional status according BMI (58.8%) and height-for-age (85.6%), born by c-section (57.5%), firstborn (54.7%), and level 1 autism (45.0%). A total of 58.9% presented some DGBI. Functional constipation (FC) was the most frequent (27.2%). Those from Central America (CA) had higher likelihood of presenting a DGBI (OR=1.98, 95% CI=1.25–3.12, p=0.0018). Conclusions: Over a half of LA schoolchildren and adolescents with ASD presented some DGBI, with FC being the most common, and higher likelihood of DGBI for those from CA.

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.