Association of abnormal bowel health with major chronic diseases and risk of mortality

Abstract

Purpose: We aimed to explore the association of chronic constipation and diarrhea with major chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes, as well as with mortality risk. In addition, we characterized the interrelationship of inflammation with abnormal bowel health, major chronic diseases, and mortality.

Methods: Demographic characteristics, physical and laboratory examinations were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database 2005-2010. Chronic constipation or diarrhea was diagnosed by the shape and frequency of defecation. The number of samples used for the cancer, CVD, diabetes, and mortality analyses were 11,217, 11,168, 11,555, and 14,316, respectively. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association among abnormal bowel health, major chronic diseases, dietary inflammatory index (DII), and C-reactive protein (CRP). A Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to assess risk of all-cause mortality, and the Fine and Gray models were subsequently employed to calculate the cancer and CVD mortality risks.

Results: There were statistically positive associations of chronic diarrhea or constipation with breast and colon cancer, CVD, risks of all-cause mortality, and CVD mortality. Particularly in participants younger than 60, in addition to the positive correlations of chronic diarrhea with three major chronic diseases and all-cause mortality risk, chronic constipation also contributed to an elevated risk of CVD mortality. With respect to inflammation markers, an increased DII or CRP level was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of abnormal bowel health and major chronic diseases, and a higher mortality risk.

Conclusions: Participants with abnormal bowel health were more likely linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, CVD, and risks of all-cause and CVD mortality. Moreover, inflammation may have a potential role in associations among abnormal bowel health, major chronic diseases and mortality. However, these findings need to be confirmed by further prospective studies.

Keywords: Abnormal bowel health; Chronic diseases; Mortality; NHANES.