TY - JOUR
T1 - Gastrointestinal symptoms and bowel habits in 53 046 healthy Danish blood donors
T2 - a nationwide cross-sectional study
AU - Grosen, Anne Karmisholt
AU - Boldsen, Jens Kjærgaard
AU - Mikkelsen, Susan
AU - Mark Dahl Baunwall, Simon
AU - Dahlerup, Jens Frederik
AU - Dinh, Khoa Manh
AU - Topholm Bruun, Mie
AU - Aagaard, Bitten
AU - Mikkelsen, Christina
AU - Nissen, Janna
AU - Brodersen, Thorsten
AU - Petersen, Mikkel Steen
AU - Rostgaard, Klaus
AU - Hjalgrim, Henrik
AU - Sørensen, Erik
AU - Ostrowski, Sisse Rye
AU - Pedersen, Ole Birger
AU - Hvas, Christian Lodberg
AU - Erikstrup, Christian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.
PY - 2025
Y1 - 2025
N2 - Objective To characterise gastrointestinal symptoms and bowel habits in healthy blood donors and explore symptom phenotypes and their associated factors. Methods Between November 2020 and March 2023, 53 046 participants in the nationwide Danish Blood Donor Study completed a questionnaire including 13 gastrointestinal symptoms, defaecation pattern regularity, stool frequency, and stool consistency. We used a data-driven approach to explore symptom phenotypes and investigated associated factors by multinomial logistic regression. Results Among the 53 046 participants (52% women), 68% (95% CI 67.5% to 68.3%) reported at least one of 13 gastrointestinal symptoms. The most frequent symptoms were bloating (40%), abdominal rumbling (40%), abdominal pain (17%), acid regurgitation (13%), heartburn (12%), diarrhoea (12%), nausea (12%), and constipation (10%). Half of the participants (50%) had a regular defaecation pattern (defined as generally the same stool consistency and stool frequency) consisting of Bristol Stool Form Scale 4 stools 1-3 times per day. Symptom phenotypes and their prevalence among 51 820 near-complete case participants were as follows: (1) no gastrointestinal symptoms (32%); (2) bloating and/or rumbling only (21%); (3) acid regurgitation and/or heartburn only (4%); (4) any other one or two symptoms (14%); (5) any three or four symptoms (18%); (6) any five or six symptoms (7%); (7) at least seven symptoms (3%). The acid regurgitation and/or heartburn only phenotype associated with obesity, and the remaining symptomatic phenotypes were associated with female sex, decreasing age, and an irregular defaecation pattern, even after excluding individuals with self-reported irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, or gluten intolerance. Conclusion Most healthy adults, especially women younger than 50 years, experience gastrointestinal symptoms. Symptom phenotypes strongly correlate with sex, age, and bowel habits.
AB - Objective To characterise gastrointestinal symptoms and bowel habits in healthy blood donors and explore symptom phenotypes and their associated factors. Methods Between November 2020 and March 2023, 53 046 participants in the nationwide Danish Blood Donor Study completed a questionnaire including 13 gastrointestinal symptoms, defaecation pattern regularity, stool frequency, and stool consistency. We used a data-driven approach to explore symptom phenotypes and investigated associated factors by multinomial logistic regression. Results Among the 53 046 participants (52% women), 68% (95% CI 67.5% to 68.3%) reported at least one of 13 gastrointestinal symptoms. The most frequent symptoms were bloating (40%), abdominal rumbling (40%), abdominal pain (17%), acid regurgitation (13%), heartburn (12%), diarrhoea (12%), nausea (12%), and constipation (10%). Half of the participants (50%) had a regular defaecation pattern (defined as generally the same stool consistency and stool frequency) consisting of Bristol Stool Form Scale 4 stools 1-3 times per day. Symptom phenotypes and their prevalence among 51 820 near-complete case participants were as follows: (1) no gastrointestinal symptoms (32%); (2) bloating and/or rumbling only (21%); (3) acid regurgitation and/or heartburn only (4%); (4) any other one or two symptoms (14%); (5) any three or four symptoms (18%); (6) any five or six symptoms (7%); (7) at least seven symptoms (3%). The acid regurgitation and/or heartburn only phenotype associated with obesity, and the remaining symptomatic phenotypes were associated with female sex, decreasing age, and an irregular defaecation pattern, even after excluding individuals with self-reported irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance, or gluten intolerance. Conclusion Most healthy adults, especially women younger than 50 years, experience gastrointestinal symptoms. Symptom phenotypes strongly correlate with sex, age, and bowel habits.
KW - EPIDEMIOLOGY
KW - FUNCTIONAL BOWEL DISORDER
KW - GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION
KW - IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME
U2 - 10.1136/bmjgast-2024-001518
DO - 10.1136/bmjgast-2024-001518
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 39922565
AN - SCOPUS:85217448165
VL - 12
JO - B M J Open Gastroenterology
JF - B M J Open Gastroenterology
SN - 2054-4774
IS - 1
M1 - e001518
ER -