The national prevalence of disorders of gut brain interaction in the United Kingdom in comparison to their worldwide prevalence: Results from the Rome foundation global epidemiology study.

Hussain Jaafari, Lesley A Houghton, Robert M West, Anurag Agrawal, Imran Aziz, Christopher J Black, Maura Corsetti, Farag Shuweihdi, Maria Eugenicos, Peter A Paine, Alexander C Ford, Peter J Whorwell, Shrikant I Bangdiwala, Olafur S Palsson, Ami D Sperber, Dipesh H Vasant

Journal: Neurogastroenterology and motility 2023;35(6):e14574

PMID: 37018424

Abstract

BACKGROUND

There are minimal epidemiological data comparing the burden of disorders of gut brain interaction (DGBI) in the UK with other countries. We compared the prevalence of DGBI in the UK with other countries that participated in the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study (RFGES) online.

METHODS

Participants from 26 countries completed the RFGES survey online including the Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire and an in-depth supplemental questionnaire with questions about dietary habits. UK sociodemographic and prevalence data were compared with the other 25 countries pooled together.

KEY RESULTS

The proportion of participants with at least one DGBI was lower in UK participants compared with in the other 25 countries (37.6% 95% CI 35.5%-39.7% vs. 41.2%; 95% CI 40.8%-41.6%, p = 0.001). The UK prevalence of 14 of 22 Rome IV DGBI, including irritable bowel syndrome (4.3%) and functional dyspepsia (6.8%), was similar to the other countries. Fecal incontinence, opioid-induced constipation, chronic nausea and vomiting, and cannabinoid hyperemesis (p < 0.05) were more prevalent in the UK. Cyclic vomiting, functional constipation, unspecified functional bowel disorder, and proctalgia fugax (p < 0.05) were more prevalent in the other 25 countries. Diet in the UK population consisted of higher consumption of meat and milk (p < 0.001), and lower consumption of rice, fruit, eggs, tofu, pasta, vegetables/legumes, and fish (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES

The prevalence and burden of DGBI is consistently high in the UK and in the rest of the world. Opioid prescribing, cultural, dietary, and lifestyle factors may contribute to differences in the prevalence of some DGBI between the UK and other countries.

© 2023 The Authors. Neurogastroenterology & Motility published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Address: Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.; Al Qunfudah Health Sciences College, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.; Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.; Divison of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.; Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.; Gastroenterology, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust, Doncaster, UK.; Academic Unit of Gastroenterology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.; Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.; NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.; School of Medicine, Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.; Department of Gastroenterology, Western General Hospital, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.; Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK.; Division of Diabetes Endocrinology and Gastroenterology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.; Division of Diabetes Endocrinology and Gastroenterology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.; Neurogastroenterology Unit, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.; Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.; Center for Functional GI & Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.

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