Differential diagnosis of cyclic vomiting syndrome

Vomiting is a nonspecific symptom and cyclic vomiting is a symptom complex that may result from a disorder of any major organ system. Children with cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) need careful review and investigation at their earliest presentations to exclude potentially lethal abnormalities such as intestinal volvulus, metabolic disorders, and neurologic space-occupying lesions. The range of abnormalities that may present with features consistent with CVS includes gastrointestinal obstructive, inflammatory and motility abnormalities, pancreatic disease, metabolic disease (particularly the amino acid-opathies, organic acidurias, fatty acid oxidation defects, and acute intermittent porphyria), renal disease, epilepsy, migraine, and psychiatric disorders. Careful history taking will usually provide clues to these uncommon problems, but all children should undergo baseline assessment of gastrointestinal morphology and screening tests for renal and metabolic disease.