The association between childhood abdominal pain (CAP) and
adult irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is not well understood. Stuart
Howell, BA (Hons), MPH, and colleagues investigated this relationship
and reported their results in the American Journal of Gastroenterology
(September 2005). Data were collected from a
1972 birth cohort in Dunedin, New Zealand, and the participants
were evaluated at ages 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 21, and 26. IBS
(as defined by the Manning Criteria) was assessed using symptom
data collected from each participant at age 26.
A history of CAP, as reported by 18.1% of children, was
slightly more common in girls and appeared to peak between
the ages of 7 and 9. IBS at age 26 was significantly more common
among patients with a history of CAP between ages 7 and
9, compared with participants with no history.
The association between CAP and adult IBS was not
altered by adjustment for gender, socioeconomic status,
psychiatric disorder at age 26, childhood emotional distress,
or mother's score on the Malaise Inventory. These results
suggested that childhood CAP can progress to adult IBS in
some individuals.