A Minority of Childhood Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction Persist Into Adulthood: A Risk-Factor Analysis

Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) may originate in childhood. There are currently limited data on persistence of DGBI into adulthood and risk factors for persistence. Furthermore, there are no data on this question from general practice, where the majority of DGBIs are diagnosed and managed. This study documents the proportion of childhood-diagnosed DGBIs that persisted into adulthood and what factors were associated with persistence.

General practice records were obtained for more than 60,000 patients whose medical record spanned both childhood and adulthood years. Patients with diagnosed organic gastrointestinal disorder were excluded. Medical records were also interrogated for potential risk factors.

Eleven percent of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 20% of patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) diagnosed in childhood had repeat diagnoses of the same condition in adulthood. Female sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.02) was associated with persistence for IBS, while a childhood diagnosis of gastritis (OR 0.46) was risk-protective. Childhood non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use (OR 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.56) was a risk factor for persistence in IBS. For FD, a childhood diagnosis of asthma (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.00-1.70) was a risk factor, as was anxiety for both IBS (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.00-1.54) and FD (OR 1.48 95% CI 1.11-1.97) with a similar finding for depression for IBS (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.11-1.62) and FD (OR 1.88 95% CI 1.47-2.42).

Childhood DGBIs persist into adulthood in 10%-20% of patients, suggesting that management monitoring should continue into adulthood. Those diagnosed with anxiety or mood disorders in childhood should receive particular attention, and prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in children should be made judiciously.