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Effects of Birth Cohorts on the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Support Early-Life Risk Factors

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Abstract

Background

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is common with prevalence reported between 10 and 20 %. IBS clusters in families but it is unknown whether this is explained by a common environment, genes, or both. If early-life factors are important, IBS might be expected to demonstrate a birth cohort phenomenon.

Aim

To investigate whether there is a birth cohort phenomenon for subjects with IBS.

Methods

Validated questionnaires were sent to a random sample of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents who recorded gastrointestinal symptoms; IBS diagnosis was based on the modified Rome criteria. Birth cohorts were chosen a priori based on historical national trends in birth weights using 10-year increments. Logistic regression was used to develop odds ratios to assess the association of IBS with calendar period, birth cohort, age, gender, and somatic symptom score.

Results

A total of 4,893 surveys were completed with an overall survey response rate of 58 %. The survey responders were between 25 and 94 years of age and 53 % were female. The overall prevalence of IBS was 16.2 % (95 % CI 15.3–17.4). The univariate association of IBS with birth cohort was significant (p < 0.001) as was the association adjusted for age and gender. The prevalence of IBS was highest for the birth cohort 1963–1972 with an odds ratio of 2.6 (95 % CI 0.97–7.0, p = 0.058).

Conclusions

Population-based data support a possible birth cohort phenomenon in IBS. If correct, early-life risk factors likely play a key role in the development of IBS.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Lori Anderson for helping compile and submit this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

Dr. Talley and Mayo Clinic have licensed the Bowel Disease Questionnaire.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Neil R. Brummond

  2. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    G. Richard Locke III, Rok Seon Choung & Nicholas J. Talley

  3. Department of Gastroenterology, Southlake Clinic, Renton, WA, USA

    Joseph Y. Chang

  4. Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Cathy D. Schleck & Alan R. Zinsmeister

  5. Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, HMRI Building, Level 3 Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton, NSW, 2305, Australia

    Nicholas J. Talley

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  1. Neil R. Brummond
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  2. G. Richard Locke III
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  3. Rok Seon Choung
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  4. Joseph Y. Chang
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  5. Cathy D. Schleck
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  6. Alan R. Zinsmeister
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  7. Nicholas J. Talley
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Correspondence to Nicholas J. Talley.

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Brummond, N.R., Locke, G.R., Choung, R.S. et al. Effects of Birth Cohorts on the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Support Early-Life Risk Factors. Dig Dis Sci 60, 2112–2118 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-015-3565-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-015-3565-4

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