Rumination syndrome (RS), a functional gastrointestinal disorder with little research on treatments, is becoming more well known. Despite mixed results, current treatment guidelines emphasized diaphragmatic breathing (DB), and the most reliable findings came from inpatient therapy models. The Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment for Rumination Syndrome (CBT-R) paradigm used in an outpatient environment was reported in this publication, along with an evaluation of early results.

The CBT-R technique was well explained, with a staged therapy strategy for symptom reduction based on behavioral theory. A retrospective case series methodology was used to examine the effectiveness of the therapy for young patients (aged 8 to 18) with RS as their primary diagnosis.

A total of 23 patients (47.8% female, Mage= 14.3; SD = 2.8) who were examined for outcomes were among the 28 patients who matched the inclusion criteria and were included in the intent-to-treat analysis. In the sample, 17.4% had a comorbid psychiatric diagnosis, while 43.5% had comorbid medical diagnoses. The majority of patients (87.0%) showed improvement in the outcome data, and the majority (73.9%) had all of their symptoms completely disappear. One to 22 visits (M=4.8, SD=5.4) were required to complete the course of treatment, and 21.7% of patients had to be admitted or receive supplemental nourishment, which considerably increased the treatment’s variability. Longer treatment times and less successful results were both connected to psychological issues.

Most patients who got CBT-R had favorable treatment outcomes, with the majority showing complete symptom relief, making it a preferable outpatient treatment choice for some pediatric patients. In addition, the features of the sample cast doubt on earlier assumptions that RS was mostly female and had a high level of mental comorbidity.

Reference: journals.lww.com/jpgn/Abstract/2022/09000/Protocol_and_Outcome_Evaluation_of_Comprehensive.13.aspx

Author