J Clin Med Res

Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.jocmr.org

Original Article

Volume 3, Number 1, February 2011, pages 23-29

Nausea and Vomiting as the Reasons for Encounter in General Practice

**Table 1.** Patients Distribution (pd) and Consultation Prevalence (cp) of Nausea/Vomiting in Different Age Groups in the German SESAM 2 Study and the Dutch Transition Project regarding New or Previously Known Nausea/Vomiting
Age (years)	SESAM 2 Study (n = 169, total n = 8877)	Transition Project (new) (n = 3215, total n = 219596)	Transition Project (known) (n = 1052, total n = 219596)
0 to 4	1.8	2.7	19.5	4.59	9.4	0.72
5 to 14	8.3	4.9	13.4	1.71	7.3	0.31
15 to 24	32.0	6.1	13.8	1.69	11.1	0.45
25 to 44	32.0	3.0	25.7	1.16	29.7	0.44
45 to 64	19.5	1.1	13.9	0.97	18.7	0.43
65 to 74	3.0	0.3	7.8	1.24	12.3	0.64
> 75	3.6	0.5	5.8	1.1	11.5	0.71

Table 1. Patients Distribution (pd) and Consultation Prevalence (cp) of Nausea/Vomiting in Different Age Groups in the German SESAM 2 Study and the Dutch Transition Project regarding New or Previously Known Nausea/Vomiting

Age
(years)

SESAM 2 Study
(n = 169, total n = 8877)

Transition Project (new)
(n = 3215, total n = 219596)

Transition Project (known)
(n = 1052, total n = 219596)

pd [%]

cp [%]

pd [%]

cp [%]

pd [%]

cp [%]

0 to 4

1.8

2.7

19.5

4.59

9.4

0.72

5 to 14

8.3

4.9

13.4

1.71

7.3

0.31

15 to 24

32.0

6.1

13.8

1.69

11.1

0.45

25 to 44

32.0

3.0

25.7

1.16

29.7

0.44

45 to 64

19.5

1.1

13.9

0.97

18.7

0.43

65 to 74

3.0

0.3

7.8

1.24

12.3

0.64

> 75

3.6

0.5

5.8

1.1

11.5

0.71

**Table 2.** Symptoms Significantly Associated With Nausea/Vomiting (SESAM 2 study)
Diagnosis	Nausea/Vomiting	Without Nausea/Vomiting	p value (Fisher)
Diarrhoea	65	38.5	102	1.2	0.000
Colic	21	12.4	140	1.6	0.000
Fever	16	9.5	357	4.1	0.003
Headache	13	7.7	168	1.9	0.000
Abdominal pain	12	7.1	98	1.1	0.000
Feeling of weakness	8	4.7	176	2.0	0.024
Heartburn	4	2.4	30	0.3	0.004
Haematemesis	1	0.6	-	-	0.019

Table 2. Symptoms Significantly Associated With Nausea/Vomiting (SESAM 2 study)

Diagnosis

Nausea/Vomiting

Without Nausea/Vomiting

p value (Fisher)

absolute

Diarrhoea

38.5

102

1.2

0.000

Colic

12.4

140

1.6

0.000

Fever

9.5

357

4.1

0.003

Headache

7.7

168

1.9

0.000

Abdominal pain

7.1

1.1

0.000

Feeling of weakness

4.7

176

2.0

0.024

Heartburn

2.4

0.3

0.004

Haematemesis

0.6

0.019

**Table 3.** Diagnostic and therapeutic Procedures [%] in the German SESAM 2 Study and the Dutch Transition Project regarding New or Previously Known Nausea/Vomiting
Procedure	SESAM 2 study (n = 169)	Transition Project (new) (n = 3215)	Transition Project (known) (n = 1052)
pc: primary care; sc: specialist care
Physical examination	94.1	82.7	69.6
Drug prescription	76.3	46.4	47.1
Follow-up consultation	64.5	-	-
Incapacity to work	53.8	-	-
Medical advice	20.2	43.4	34.3
Laboratory investigations	16.0	14.5	15.4
Long-term care until now	14.8	-	-
Other therapy	10.7	0.03	-
Other diagnostics	5.3	0.34	1.5
Hospitalisation	5.3	2.7 (sc)	9.6 (sc)
History	4.7	-	-
Referral	4.7	0.5 (pc)	0.7 (pc)
ECG	2.4	-	-

Table 3. Diagnostic and therapeutic Procedures [%] in the German SESAM 2 Study and the Dutch Transition Project regarding New or Previously Known Nausea/Vomiting

Procedure

SESAM 2 study (n = 169)

Transition Project (new) (n = 3215)

Transition Project (known) (n = 1052)

pc: primary care; sc: specialist care

Physical examination

94.1

82.7

69.6

Drug prescription

76.3

46.4

47.1

Follow-up consultation

64.5

Incapacity to work

53.8

Medical advice

20.2

43.4

34.3

Laboratory investigations

16.0

14.5

15.4

Long-term care until now

14.8

Other therapy

10.7

0.03

Other diagnostics

5.3

0.34

1.5

Hospitalisation

5.3

2.7 (sc)

9.6 (sc)

History

4.7

Referral

4.7

0.5 (pc)

0.7 (pc)

ECG

2.4

**Table 4.** Prevalence [%] of Diagnoses in Patients With Nausea or Vomiting in the Different Studies
Diagnosis	SESAM 2 Study (n = 169)	Transition Project (known (n = 3215)	Transition Project (known) (n = 1052)
Other disease of the digestive system (non-infectious gastroenteritis, colitis)	28.4	1.0	0.6
Stomach upset	21.3	14.2	10.0
Infectious diarrhoea/dysentery	12.4	0.4	1.1
URI (head cold)	8.9	0.8	2.1
Migraine	4.7	1.5	1.1
Presumed gastrointestinal infection	3.0	7.2	21.4
Appendicitis	3.0	0.3	0.7
Nausea/vomiting	2.4	-	-
Adverse drug effect	1.8	2.6	4.1
Cirrhosis/other liver disease	1.8	0.8	0.1
Chronic alcohol abuse	1.8	0.4	0.1
Fever	1.2	0.1	0.1
Acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis	1.2	1.3	1.2
Disease of oesophagus	1.2	2.4	0.7
Pyelonephritis/acute pyelitis	1.2	0.3	0.2
Other peptic ulcers	1.2	0.95	0.3
Other viral diseases NOS	0.6	1.3	5.2
Cholecystitis/cholelithiasis	0.6	1.8	0.8
Nausea/vomiting of pregnancy	0.6	0.95	0.7
Anorexia nervosa	0.6	0.3	0.1
Acute stress	0.6	0.6	0.6
Malignancy (digestive system)	-	0.8	0.3
Heartburn	-	0.5	0.2
Duodenal ulcer	-	2.2	0.2
Inguinal hernia	-	-	0.1
Nausea	-	10.1	12.4
Vomiting	-	5.1	8.1
Vertigo syndromes	-	1.4	1.7
General weakness/tiredness	-	0.8	1.6
Constipation	-	1.7	1.6
Irritable bowel syndrome	-	6.1	1.1
Concussion/head injuries	-	0.2	0.8
Haematemesis/vomiting blood	-	-	0.06

Table 4. Prevalence [%] of Diagnoses in Patients With Nausea or Vomiting in the Different Studies

Diagnosis

SESAM 2 Study
(n = 169)

Transition Project (known
(n = 3215)

Transition Project (known)
(n = 1052)

Other disease of the digestive system (non-infectious gastroenteritis, colitis)

28.4

1.0

0.6

Stomach upset

21.3

14.2

10.0

Infectious diarrhoea/dysentery

12.4

0.4

1.1

URI (head cold)

8.9

0.8

2.1

Migraine

4.7

1.5

1.1

Presumed gastrointestinal infection

3.0

7.2

21.4

Appendicitis

3.0

0.3

0.7

Nausea/vomiting

2.4

Adverse drug effect

1.8

2.6

4.1

Cirrhosis/other liver disease

1.8

0.8

0.1

Chronic alcohol abuse

1.8

0.4

0.1

Fever

1.2

0.1

Acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis

1.2

1.3

1.2

Disease of oesophagus

1.2

2.4

0.7

Pyelonephritis/acute pyelitis

1.2

0.3

0.2

Other peptic ulcers

1.2

0.95

0.3

Other viral diseases NOS

0.6

1.3

5.2

Cholecystitis/cholelithiasis

0.6

1.8

0.8

Nausea/vomiting of pregnancy

0.6

0.95

0.7

Anorexia nervosa

0.6

0.3

0.1

Acute stress

0.6

Malignancy (digestive system)

0.8

0.3

Heartburn

0.5

0.2

Duodenal ulcer

2.2

0.2

Inguinal hernia

0.1

Nausea

10.1

12.4

Vomiting

5.1

8.1

Vertigo syndromes

1.4

1.7

General weakness/tiredness

0.8

1.6

Constipation

1.7

1.6

Irritable bowel syndrome

6.1

1.1

Concussion/head injuries

0.2

0.8

Haematemesis/vomiting blood

0.06