Apples for Health- Air pollution linked to abdominal pain

Air pollution linked to abdominal pain

EDMONTON, Alberta, June 1 (UPI) -- Abdominal pain, one of the most common reasons for emergency room visits, may be linked to air pollution, Canadian researchers suggest.

Dr. Gilaad Kaplan of the University of Calgary identified more than 95,000 patients discharged from emergency departments with non-specific abdominal pain from hospitals in Edmonton, Alberta. The study was replicated in more than 25,000 abdominal pain patients at a hospital in downtown Montreal.

Data from Environment Canada's National Air Pollution Surveillance were used to determine the hourly levels of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter of varying sizes.

The study found nearly two-thirds of visits for non-specific abdominal pain were by women, and the majority of them were ages 15-24.

Young women were more likely to present to emergency departments in Edmonton and Montreal for non-specific abdominal pain on days when indicators of air pollution were elevated.

Kaplan and the co-authors speculate that young women are the most affected cohort because they are at increased risk for functional motility disorders -- the most common of which is irritable bowel syndrome.

Kaplan is scheduled to present the finding Wednesday at Digestive Disease Week in Chicago.