Affected Populations

Cyclic vomiting syndrome affects females somewhat more often than males (55:45). It most commonly occurs in children between the ages of three and seven, although it can begin at any age, from early infancy through to old age. A diagnosis is often delayed for many years. Although cyclic vomiting syndrome may be seen more often in children, it is being recognized with greater frequency in adults. The incidence of cyclic vomiting syndrome is unknown, although it is not rare. Two studies in Scotland and Australia have suggested that as many as 2% of all school-aged children suffer from cyclic vomiting syndrome. However, researchers believe the disorder is underdiagnosed, making it difficult to estimate its true frequency in the general population. Cyclic vomiting syndrome was first described in the medical literature in 1806 in French, and 1882 in English.