Prevalence, incidence and prognosis of gastrointestinal symptoms in a random sample of an elderly population.

In 1984 a random sample of a 70-year-old Danish population of 1119 subjects was questioned about abdominal symptoms and 5 years later survivors were contacted for follow-up. The participation rate at the primary study was 72% and 91% of the surviving subjects attended the follow-up. One-year period prevalences of single symptoms were 1-40%, annual incidence values 1-25% and 5-year disappearance rates were more than 50%. Irritable bowel syndrome occurred with a prevalence of 6-18% depending on definition, and incidences were of a similar magnitude. At the 5-year follow-up 50-79% of subjects originally suffering from irritable bowel syndrome no longer did so. The annual prevalence rate of symptoms of upper dyspepsia varied from 9% to 25%, annual incidence was 3-12%, and cumulative 5-year disappearance rate 45-65%. It is concluded that abdominal symptoms and the syndromes they constitute occur frequently and fluctuatingly in the elderly population.