Authors: Kalantar JS, Locke GR 3rd, Talley NJ, Zinsmeister AR, Fett SL, Melton LJ 3rd.

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

Background: We tested the hypothesis that subjects with relatives who suffered from abdominal pain or bowel dysfunction would be at an increased risk of more persistent irritable bowel syndrome.

Results: Subjects were less likely to have persistent irritable bowel syndrome over the age of 50 years [odds ratio (OR), 0.20; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.09, 0.47]. A positive family history was reported by 23%. A family history of gastrointestinal symptoms was independently associated with persistent irritable bowel syndrome (vs. no irritable bowel syndrome: OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3, 4.9) and fluctuating irritable bowel syndrome (vs. no irritable bowel syndrome: OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.3, 4.4). However, subjects reporting a positive family history were not more likely to report persistent vs. fluctuating irritable bowel syndrome (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.5, 2.9). The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2, 4.3) and a history of food sensitivity (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.9, 6.9) were the only other predictors of persistent irritable bowel syndrome.

Conclusions: A history of abdominal pain or bowel troubles in first-degree relatives appears to be independently associated with both persistent and fluctuating irritable bowel syndrome.

Study link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12786633&query_hl=4&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