Abstract
BACKGROUND: Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) are associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological disorders. Among individuals with DGBI, abdominal pain correlates with increased healthcare-seeking and analgesic use. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of pain as a cardinal symptom on HRQoL and psychological disorders. METHODS: This is a sub-analysis of data from four Latin American countries included in the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study (RFGES). DGBI were classified into (1) painful DGBI, including individuals with diagnoses characterized by pain as a primary symptom, and (2) non-painful DGBI, including individuals with only non-painful diagnoses. Prevalence rates, healthcare-seeking behavior, HRQoL (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global-10 [PROMIS Global-10]), anxiety and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-4 [PHQ-4]) and somatization (Patient Health Questionnaire-12 [PHQ-12]) were compared. KEY RESULTS: A total of 8069 participants from the four countries completed the RFGES online survey, including 1132 in the painful group and 1720 in the non-painful group. Participants with painful DGBI more commonly sought healthcare at least monthly compared to those with non-painful disorders (18.6% vs. 14.9%). Painful disorders were associated with significantly lower HRQoL scores and higher PHQ-4 and PHQ-12 scores, both in unadjusted and adjusted analyses (sex, age, education, and community size). CONCLUSION AND INFERENCES: In four Latin American countries, individuals with painful DGBI were more likely to seek healthcare, had worse HRQoL and exhibited greater psychological distress compared to those with non-painful DGBI. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions for individuals with painful DGBI symptoms.