Authors: Howell S, Poulton R, Talley NJ.

Institution: Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, Australia.

Introduction: The natural history of childhood abdominal pain (CAP) and its association with adult irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) remain poorly described. We aim to investigate the characteristics of CAP over the first 11 yr of life and evaluate the association of CAP to IBS at age 26 yr.

Results: A history of CAP was reported by 18.1% of children. This was typically characterized by CAP on one assessment; complaints over two or more assessment were rare. CAP was slightly more common in females and appeared to peak at age 7-9 yr. IBS at age 26 yr was significantly more common among individuals with a history of CAP between ages 7 and 9 yr compared to those with no such history, as assessed by any history (OR = 1.85; p= 0.02), parental report (OR = 1.82; p= 0.03), and medical service encounters (OR = 3.75; p= 0.03). The association between CAP at age 7-9 yr and adult IBS was not altered by adjustment for sex, socio-economic status, psychiatric disorder at age 26 yr, childhood emotional distress, or mother's score on the Malaise Inventory.

Conclusions: CAP is a common complaint, which can progress to adult IBS in some children.

Study link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16128954&query_hl=46&itool=pubmed_docsum

• Genetic Influences in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: a Twin Study
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Twins: Heredity and Social Learning Both Contribute to Etiology
• The Natural History of Childhood Abdominal Pain and its Association with Adult Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Birth-Cohort Study
• Development of Irritable Bowel Syndrome may be Associated With a Parental History of Bowel Problems