Pain-predominant disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) in children — such as functional abdominal pain (FAP) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) — can lead to disabling symptoms, poor quality of life, and high use of health care resources. While optimal treatment for these conditions remains elusive, we know that this patient population tends to have high placebo response rates. Although this can make it difficult to identify effective therapies, it can also present new opportunities for care.
Studies suggest that an open-label placebo (OLP) approach — in which patients are aware that they are receiving a placebo — can benefit adults with DGBIs. However, no similar research had been conducted on the effects of OLP in pediatric DGBI patients, or other pediatric conditions. To learn more, a group of investigators led by Samuel Nurko, MD, MPH, director of the Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, conducted the first OLP study in pediatrics in a multicenter randomized crossover trial of 30 children between ages 8 and 18 with diagnosed IBS or FAP.
