Child maltreatment and its association with incident irritable bowel syndrome: genetic risk and mediation pathways in the UK biobank.

BACKGROUND

The associations and mediation pathways between child maltreatment and incident irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) remain unclear.

METHODS

We carried out the Cox proportional hazard models to explore the associations of child maltreatment and its five subtypes with hazard ratios (HRs) of IBS, and mediation analyses were conducted to assess the roles of obesity, lifestyles, and mental disorders in such associations among participants with different genetic susceptibilities.

RESULTS

Participants who reported two or more subtypes of child maltreatment exhibited the greatest risk of IBS with HR of 1.63 (95% CI: 1.56, 1.70), compared to those who did not suffer child maltreatment. All five subtypes of child maltreatment were associated with elevated incident IBS, particularly emotional abuse with HR of 1.56 (95% CI: 1.49, 1.63). Also, such associations were more evident in those with high genetic risk score (GRS) than the low GRS. Further, obesity, lifestyles (such as smoking, sedentary behavior, sleep duration, and physical activity), and mental disorders mediated the associations of child maltreatment with the incident IBS. Anxiety and depression showed larger mediated proportions, ranging from 10.79% to 22.21% than the mediation of lifestyles.

CONCLUSION

Child maltreatment and its five subtypes were associated with increased incident IBS, particularly in those with higher genetic predisposition. Obesity, lifestyles and mental disorders played mediated role in such association.