Psych Vivas · General adult psychiatry — feeding and eating disorders
Pica and rumination disorder — structured clinical viva
Fellowship viva on adult rumination disorder: discrimination, diaphragmatic breathing, biofeedback RCT, baclofen RCT positioning, GI interface.
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Target exams
Interpretation
Reveal interpretation
This is adult rumination disorder (rumination syndrome): chronic effortless meal-linked regurgitation with rechewing/reswallowing, failed acid suppression, normal endoscopy, and absent BN body-image drive. Anxiety may coexist as a consequence or comorbidity but does not redefine the physiology.[1][5]
Versus GORD. Heartburn-predominant acid disease often responds at least partially to PPI; rumination is mechanical effortless regurgitation soon after meals, often with reswallowing. Endoscopy may be normal in both — history is decisive.[1][5]
Versus BN. No binge, no fat phobia, no shape overvaluation — do not force BN therapy targets. If those emerge later, dual formulate.[1]
Mechanism and treatment. Abdominothoracic strain → raised gastric pressure → LES relaxation → effortless regurgitation. First-line: education + diaphragmatic breathing competing with the strain pattern; evidence supports mechanism and clinical use.[1][2] Biofeedback has RCT support for reducing episodes.[3] Baclofen 10 mg orally three times daily has RCT support in refractory disease as adjunct — discuss side effects and specialist framing; not a magic sole tablet that replaces behavioural work.[4]
GI re-involvement. Red flags, diagnostic uncertainty, or refractory course → consider high-resolution manometry with impedance and joint management.[1][5] PARDI can structure feeding-disorder assessment when presentations are mixed with ARFID/pica features.[6]
Key points
[1] [2] [4]References
- [1]Halland M, Pandolfino J, Barba E Diagnosis and Treatment of Rumination Syndrome Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2018.PMID 29902642
- [2]Halland M, Parthasarathy G, Bharucha AE, Katzka DA Diaphragmatic breathing for rumination syndrome: efficacy and mechanisms of action Neurogastroenterol Motil, 2016.PMID 26661735
- [3]Barba E, Accarino A, Soldevilla A, Malagelada JR, Azpiroz F Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Biofeedback for the Treatment of Rumination Am J Gastroenterol, 2016.PMID 27185077
- [4]Pauwels A, Broers C, Van Houtte B, et al. A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Study Using Baclofen in the Treatment of Rumination Syndrome Am J Gastroenterol, 2018.PMID 29206813
- [5]Absah I, Rishi A, Talley NJ, Katzka D, Halland M Rumination syndrome: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment Neurogastroenterol Motil, 2017.PMID 27766723
- [6]Bryant-Waugh R, Micali N, Cooke L, et al. Development of the Pica, ARFID, and Rumination Disorder Interview, a multi-informant, semi-structured interview of feeding disorders across the lifespan: A pilot study for ages 10-22 Int J Eat Disord, 2019.PMID 30312485