First, we identified a population-based sample of 95,173 individuals who visited one of 5 emergency department in Edmonton for non-specific abdominal pain from 1992–2002. The International Classification for Disease 9 th revision was used to identify patients who were discharged from an emergency department with a primary diagnosis of non-specific abdominal pain (789.0×). ![]() No patient contact was made and patients could not be traced. Ĭonsequently, we investigated whether acute exposure to air pollutants was associated with emergency department visits for non-specific abdominal pain by: 1) evaluating the effect of short-term ambient air pollution exposure in a human population 2) replicating this epidemiological study in a second population and 3) exploring the biological plausibility in in vitro and in vivo models.Īs described previously, the administrative database study was approved by the individual research ethics boards at each participating institution and the data were transferred to the Health Canada following de-identification. However, most inhaled particles deposited in the nasopharyngeal compartment and airways are removed through mucociliary clearance and swallowed within a day and thus, gastrointestinal effects may be due to direct effects of particles. , Air pollutants can cause systemic effects such as cardiovascular or liver metabolic changes after primary deposition and direct effects in the respiratory compartment. ,, Recently, studies have indicated that air pollution may affect gastrointestinal disorders such as the inflammatory bowel diseases and appendicitis. asthma) and has been associated with non-pulmonary diseases including cancer and strokes. Despite extensive research into the causes of non-specific abdominal pain, risk factors are not known and thus, exploration of triggers of non-specific abdominal pain is warranted.Īir pollution directly effects pulmonary diseases (e.g. Cases of non-specific abdominal pain may also represent a functional disorder such as irritable bowel syndrome. Additionally, some patients experience a transient illness such as gastrointestinal infection. ![]() non-specific abdominal pain may be due to gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn's and celiac diseases that are diagnosed after the patient is discharged from the emergency department. ![]() The underlying cause of non-specific abdominal pain is likely multifactorial. ,, Consequently, non-specific abdominal pain is an important clinical presentation associated with impairment in quality of life for patients and significant costs to the health care system. , While many patients diagnosed with non-specific abdominal pain are asymptomatic at a later outpatient follow-up, ,, a subset of these patients require recurrent admissions. In many cases patients are diagnosed with non-specific abdominal pain, which refers to abdominal pain that is not explained during acute assessment. Abdominal pain is the second most common diagnosis (4.2%) claimed by emergency department physicians in the USA.
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