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Increased prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with allergic disease

Nick Powell1, Benedict Huntley, Thomas Beech

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK. nick.powell@nhs.net

Postgraduate Medical Journal
|March 9, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Adults with asthma or allergic rhinitis are more likely to experience gastrointestinal symptoms. This study found a significant association between allergic diseases and increased digestive issues in adults.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Allergology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Children with allergic diseases often have gastrointestinal symptoms.
  • Previous studies noted GI abnormalities in allergic patients.
  • The prevalence of GI symptoms in adults with allergies was unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between allergic diseases and lower gastrointestinal symptoms in adults.
  • To determine if adult patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis experience increased GI symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective case-control study involving 7235 adult primary care patients.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome diagnosis served as a marker for lower GI symptoms.
  • Prevalence of GI symptoms in allergic patients was compared to controls.

Main Results:

  • Gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly more common in adults with asthma (9.9%) compared to chronic disease patients (4.9%) and the general population (5.5%).
  • Adults with allergic rhinitis also showed a higher prevalence of GI symptoms (7.9%) versus controls (4.9% and 5.5%).
  • These findings were independent of age, sex, and asthma medication.

Conclusions:

  • The study supports the hypothesis that lower gastrointestinal symptoms are more prevalent in adults with allergic diseases.
  • Asthma and allergic rhinitis are associated with an increased risk of digestive complaints in adults.
Abstract

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