Non-specific abdominal pain: a safe diagnosis?

Non-specific abdominal pain (NSAP) is a benign condition with low morbidity. This follow-up study of 82 patients discharged from an emergency department after presenting with abdominal pain, during 1 calendar month, has shown that only 9.6% were diagnosed as having NSAP. It has been shown previously that 34.9% to 45.6% of patients presenting to an emergency department with abdominal pain will have NSAP. One large study showed that 88% of NSAP had improved or resolved at 2-3 weeks without specific treatment and few required subsequent hospitalization. In this study a number of patients were given diagnoses which could not be supported from the history or investigations. This is a potentially dangerous practice. NSAP is a diagnosis of exclusion and the patient may be reassured that the condition is most likely benign or self limiting and allowed home.