Global Prevalence of Self-Reported Alarm Features in the General Population and Among Individuals With Disorders of...

Data on the global prevalence of alarm features in the general population and among individuals with disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) are limited.

We analysed data from the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study to estimate the prevalence of fourteen self-reported alarm features in the global population and among individuals with Rome IV defined DGBI, including 54,127 participants from 26 countries. Differences between participants with and without DGBI were evaluated in a sample excluding those with self-reported organic gastrointestinal disease, using univariable logistic regression. Analyses were stratified by age (< 50 vs. ≥ 50 years).

Alarm features were reported by 63.1% of participants aged < 50 years and 51.8% of those aged ≥ 50 years. Individual self-reported alarm features ranged from 0.9% to 18.3% in younger participants to 0.3%-13.3% in older participants. Haematemesis was the least frequently reported feature, while a major change in bowel movements was the most frequent in both age groups. Self-reported alarm features were more frequent among participants with than without DGBI (< 50 years: 75.3% vs. 50.7%; OR 3.0 [2.8-3.1]; ≥ 50 years: 67.5% vs. 38.8%; OR 3.3 [3.1-3.5]). Participants with DGBI were also more likely to report multiple alarm features.

Self-reported alarm features are common in the general population and more prevalent among individuals with DGBI. These findings underscore the importance of interpreting alarm features within a broader clinical context rather than in isolation. Further studies are needed to clarify the diagnostic utility of alarm features in unselected populations, particularly among individuals with DGBI.