Familial association in adults with functional gastrointestinal disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association between functional gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and a family history of abdominal pain or bowel problems.


METHODS
A valid self-report questionnaire that records GI symptoms and spouse's and first-degree relatives' history of abdominal pain or bowel troubles and includes the psychosomatic symptom checklist (a measure of somatization) was mailed to an age- and sex-stratified random sample of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents aged 30 to 64 years. A logistic regression model that adjusted for age, sex, and somatic symptom score was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of a positive family history for each functional GI disorder.


RESULTS
Six hundred forty-three (72%) of 892 eligible subjects returned the survey. Reporting a first-degree relative with abdominal pain or bowel problems was significantly associated with reporting of irritable bowel syndrome (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3-3.9) and dyspepsia (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.05-3.0) but not constipation, diarrhea, or gastroesophageal reflux. The reporting of a spouse with abdominal pain or bowel problems was not associated with any of these disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
A history of abdominal pain or bowel troubles in first-degree relatives was significantly associated with irritable bowel syndrome and dyspepsia. Whether the familial associations represent similar exposures in a shared environment, heightened familial awareness of GI symptoms (reporting bias), or genetic factors remains to be determined.
Locke
G R
GR
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. 55905, USA.
Zinsmeister
A R
AR
Talley
N J
NJ
Fett
S L
SL
Melton
L J
LJ
D000328:Adult; D015982:Bias; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010375:Pedigree; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires