Gastrointestinal Symptoms are Still Prevalent and Negatively Impact Health-Related Quality of Life: A Large Cross-Sectional Population Based Study in The Netherlands

Background: Over the last decades important risk factors for gastrointestinal symptoms have shifted, which may changed its population prevalence. The aim of this study was to assess the current prevalence of gastrointestinal appraise associated factors and assess health-related quality of life in the general population. Methods: A total of 51,869 questionnaires were sent to a representative sample of the Dutch adult general population December 2008. Demographic characteristics, gastrointestinal symptoms, health-related quality of life, medication use co-morbidity were reported. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine factors associated gastrointestinal symptoms. Results: A total of 18,317 questionnaires were returned, and 16,758 were eligible for analysis. Prevalence of symptoms was 26%. Most frequent symptoms were bloating (63%), borborygmi (60%) and flatulence (71%). Female (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.59, 95% CI 1.43-1.77), asthma/COPD (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.21-1.79), use of paracetamol (aOR 1.33, CI 1.20-1.47), antidepressants (aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.22-2.00) and acid-suppressive medication were independently with presence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Age over 65 years (aOR 0.75, 95% CI 0.65-0.87), and use of statins (aOR 95% CI 0.61-0.93) were associated with a lower prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms. Respondents with symptoms had a lower mean health-related quality of life of 0.81 (SD = 0.21) compared to 0.92 (SD = 0.14) for without gastrointestinal symptoms (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in the Dutch community is high and associated with health-related quality of life.