Diet and wearable monitoring of gut movement in children with IBS

The Role of Diet and Gastrointestinal Motility in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

This project will use a wearable patch, diet recall, and stool and urine samples to see if certain foods, gut movement patterns, or microbes are linked to symptoms in children ages 8–18 with IBS.

Quick facts

• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 90 (estimated)
• Ages: 8 Years to 18 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Academic / other)
• Locations: 1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Trial ID: NCT07283341 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is an observational study enrolling children aged 8–18 with IBS and age-matched controls without abdominal pain. Participants will wear a wireless patch to record gut motility, complete questionnaires and a 24-hour dietary recall, and provide stool and urine samples for microbiome and metabolite analysis. Investigators will compare dietary patterns, motility signals, and microbial/metabolic profiles between children with and without IBS symptoms to identify links. Findings aim to help tailor diet-based approaches to relieve symptoms in pediatric IBS.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Children 8–18 years old diagnosed with IBS whose parent/guardian can consent and who can tolerate a wearable adhesive patch and sample collection are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Children with adhesive allergies, recent antibiotic use, inflammatory gastrointestinal disease, or inability to follow study procedures are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the study could enable more personalized diet plans or monitoring strategies that reduce symptoms for children with IBS.

How similar studies have performed: Related research using wearable motility monitors and microbiome-diet analyses has shown promising associations, but pediatric personalized diet strategies remain largely unproven.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Cases:

1. Males and females age 8 - 18 years
2. Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
3. Parental/guardian permission (informed consent) and child assent

Controls:

1. Males and Females age 8-18 years
2. No diagnosis of abdominal pain disorder
3. Parental/guardian permission (informed consent) and child assent

Exclusion Criteria:

Cases:

1. Allergy to adhesives
2. Inability to cooperate with study design
3. Antibiotic intake in the past 4 weeks
4. Inflammatory gastrointestinal disorder diagnosis

Controls:

1. Allergy to adhesives
2. Inability to cooperate with study design
3. Antibiotic intake in the past 4 weeks
4. Inflammatory gastrointestinal disorder diagnosis

Where this trial is running

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Alain Benitez, MD, MSTR — Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania
• Study coordinator: Alain Benitez, MD, MSTR

Conditions Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Diet; Motility; Wireless Patch System