白种人中的发病率差异很大。前瞻性研究表明发病率为 3% 至 28%,回顾性研究则表明发病率为 8% 至 40%。[2]Canivet C, Hagander B, Jakobsson I, et al. Infantile colic - less common than previously estimated? Acta Paediatr. 1996;85:454-458.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8740304?tool=bestpractice.com[3]Crowcroft NS, Strachan DP. The social origins of infantile colic: questionnaire study covering 76,747 infants. BMJ. 1997;314:1325-1328.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9158470?tool=bestpractice.com[4]Hogdall CK, Vestermark V, Birch M, et al. The significance of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum factors for the development of infantile colic. J Perinat Med. 1991;19:251-257.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1960629?tool=bestpractice.com亚洲人群的发病率很低。[5]Lee K. The crying pattern of Korean infants and related factors. Dev Med Child Neurol. 1994;36:601-607.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8034122?tool=bestpractice.com发病率的巨大差异可能是因为研究设计、数据收集方法、招募地点、种族差异和婴儿肠绞痛定义方面的差异。前瞻性研究更可信,因为回顾性研究很容易出现回忆偏倚。
男女婴儿出现肠绞痛的几率相等。[6]Lucassen PL, Assendelft WJ, van Eijk JT, et al. Systematic review of the occurrence of infantile colic in the community. Arch Dis Child. 2001;84:398-403.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1718751/pdf/v084p00398.pdfhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11316682?tool=bestpractice.com肠绞痛婴儿的兄弟姐妹往往也有这种情况。有些研究者报告头胎婴儿的发病率较高,[3]Crowcroft NS, Strachan DP. The social origins of infantile colic: questionnaire study covering 76,747 infants. BMJ. 1997;314:1325-1328.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9158470?tool=bestpractice.com而其他研究者则没有发现这一关联。[7]St. James-Roberts I, Halil T. Infant crying patterns in the first year: normative community and clinical findings. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1991;32:951-968.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1744198?tool=bestpractice.com有些研究者发现该疾病在低出生体重婴儿中更常见,[8]Sondergaard C, Skajaa E, Henriksen TB. Fetal growth and infantile colic. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2000;83:F44-F47.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10873171?tool=bestpractice.com但这一研究结果缺乏一致性。[3]Crowcroft NS, Strachan DP. The social origins of infantile colic: questionnaire study covering 76,747 infants. BMJ. 1997;314:1325-1328.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9158470?tool=bestpractice.com