Irritable bowel syndrome in the general population.
Journal: 1992/March - BMJ (Clinical research ed.)
ISSN: 0959-8138
PUBMED: 1737146
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of symptoms compatible with a clinical diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome in the general population.
METHODS
Validated postal questionnaire sent to 2280 subjects randomly selected in 10 year age bands from the lists of eight general practitioners. The Manning criteria were used to define irritable bowel syndrome.
METHODS
Urban population in Southampton and mixed urban-rural population in Andover, Hampshire.
RESULTS
A response of 71% yielded 1620 questionnaires for analysis, of which 412 (25%) reported more than six episodes of abdominal pain in the preceding year, with 350 (22%) reporting symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. The male: female ratio was 1:1.38. More subjects with irritable bowel syndrome had constipation and diarrhoea and 35% with the syndrome reported rectal bleeding compared with an overall prevalence of 20%. Other symptoms and conditions including heartburn, dyspepsia, flushing, palpitations, migraine, and urinary symptoms were significantly more common in the group with irritable bowel syndrome. Abdominal pain in childhood was more common in the subjects with irritable bowel syndrome (12%) than without (3%). One third of the group with irritable bowel syndrome had sought medical advice during the study period (male:female ratio 1:1.21); consultation behaviour was influenced by age and the presence of associated symptoms, varied considerably among patients registered with different general practitioners, and was poorly correlated with symptom severity.
CONCLUSIONS
Symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome are present in almost one quarter of the general population and tend to be associated with a number of other complaints and conditions, some of which may reflect smooth muscle dysfunction.
Relations:
Content
Citations
(147)
References
(22)
Clinical trials
(1)
Diseases
(2)
Conditions
(3)
Organisms
(1)
Affiliates
(1)
Similar articles
Articles by the same authors
Discussion board
BMJ 304(6819): 87-90

Irritable bowel syndrome in the general population.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE--To determine the prevalence of symptoms compatible with a clinical diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome in the general population. DESIGN--Validated postal questionnaire sent to 2280 subjects randomly selected in 10 year age bands from the lists of eight general practitioners. The Manning criteria were used to define irritable bowel syndrome. SETTING--Urban population in Southampton and mixed urban-rural population in Andover, Hampshire. RESULTS--A response of 71% yielded 1620 questionnaires for analysis, of which 412 (25%) reported more than six episodes of abdominal pain in the preceding year, with 350 (22%) reporting symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. The male: female ratio was 1:1.38. More subjects with irritable bowel syndrome had constipation and diarrhoea and 35% with the syndrome reported rectal bleeding compared with an overall prevalence of 20%. Other symptoms and conditions including heartburn, dyspepsia, flushing, palpitations, migraine, and urinary symptoms were significantly more common in the group with irritable bowel syndrome. Abdominal pain in childhood was more common in the subjects with irritable bowel syndrome (12%) than without (3%). One third of the group with irritable bowel syndrome had sought medical advice during the study period (male:female ratio 1:1.21); consultation behaviour was influenced by age and the presence of associated symptoms, varied considerably among patients registered with different general practitioners, and was poorly correlated with symptom severity. CONCLUSION--Symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome are present in almost one quarter of the general population and tend to be associated with a number of other complaints and conditions, some of which may reflect smooth muscle dysfunction.

Full text

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Get a printable copy (PDF file) of the complete article (934K), or click on a page image below to browse page by page. Links to PubMed are also available for Selected References.

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
  • Mitchell CM, Drossman DA. Survey of the AGA membership relating to patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders. Gastroenterology. 1987 May;92(5 Pt 1):1282–1284. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Ingham JG, Miller PM. Symptom prevalence and severity in a general practice population. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1979 Sep;33(3):191–198.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Drossman DA, Sandler RS, McKee DC, Lovitz AJ. Bowel patterns among subjects not seeking health care. Use of a questionnaire to identify a population with bowel dysfunction. Gastroenterology. 1982 Sep;83(3):529–534. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Thompson WG, Heaton KW. Functional bowel disorders in apparently healthy people. Gastroenterology. 1980 Aug;79(2):283–288. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Jones R, Lydeard S. Prevalence of symptoms of dyspepsia in the community. BMJ. 1989 Jan 7;298(6665):30–32.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Lydeard S, Jones R. Factors affecting the decision to consult with dyspepsia: comparison of consulters and non-consulters. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1989 Dec;39(329):495–498.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Manning AP, Thompson WG, Heaton KW, Morris AF. Towards positive diagnosis of the irritable bowel. Br Med J. 1978 Sep 2;2(6138):653–654.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Thompson WG. Gastrointestinal symptoms in the irritable bowel compared with peptic ulcer and inflammatory bowel disease. Gut. 1984 Oct;25(10):1089–1092.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Talley NJ, Phillips SF, Melton LJ, Mulvihill C, Wiltgen C, Zinsmeister AR. Diagnostic value of the Manning criteria in irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 1990 Jan;31(1):77–81.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Smith RC, Greenbaum DS, Vancouver JB, Henry RC, Reinhart MA, Greenbaum RB, Dean HA, Mayle JE. Gender differences in Manning criteria in the irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1991 Mar;100(3):591–595. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Whorwell PJ, Lupton EW, Erduran D, Wilson K. Bladder smooth muscle dysfunction in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 1986 Sep;27(9):1014–1017.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Whorwell PJ, McCallum M, Creed FH, Roberts CT. Non-colonic features of irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 1986 Jan;27(1):37–40.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • White AM, Stevens WH, Upton AR, O'Byrne PM, Collins SM. Airway responsiveness to inhaled methacholine in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1991 Jan;100(1):68–74. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Isgar B, Harman M, Kaye MD, Whorwell PJ. Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome in ulcerative colitis in remission. Gut. 1983 Mar;24(3):190–192.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Heaton KW, Ghosh S, Braddon FE. How bad are the symptoms and bowel dysfunction of patients with the irritable bowel syndrome? A prospective, controlled study with emphasis on stool form. Gut. 1991 Jan;32(1):73–79.[PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Smith RC, Greenbaum DS, Vancouver JB, Henry RC, Reinhart MA, Greenbaum RB, Dean HA, Mayle JE. Psychosocial factors are associated with health care seeking rather than diagnosis in irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1990 Feb;98(2):293–301. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Talley NJ, Phillips SF, Bruce B, Twomey CK, Zinsmeister AR, Melton LJ., 3rd Relation among personality and symptoms in nonulcer dyspepsia and the irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1990 Aug;99(2):327–333. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Bordie AK. Functional disorders of the colon. J Indian Med Assoc. 1972 Jun 16;58(12):451–456. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Mendis BL, Wijesiriwardena BC, Sheriff MH, Dharmadasa K. Irritable bowel syndrome. Ceylon Med J. 1982 Dec;27(4):171–181. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Dent OF, Goulston KJ, Zubrzycki J, Chapuis PH. Bowel symptoms in an apparently well population. Dis Colon Rectum. 1986 Apr;29(4):243–247. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • MacDonald L, Freeling P. Bowels: beliefs and behaviour. Fam Pract. 1986 Jun;3(2):80–84. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • Drossman DA, McKee DC, Sandler RS, Mitchell CM, Cramer EM, Lowman BC, Burger AL. Psychosocial factors in the irritable bowel syndrome. A multivariate study of patients and nonpatients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1988 Sep;95(3):701–708. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
University of Southampton.
University of Southampton.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE--To determine the prevalence of symptoms compatible with a clinical diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome in the general population. DESIGN--Validated postal questionnaire sent to 2280 subjects randomly selected in 10 year age bands from the lists of eight general practitioners. The Manning criteria were used to define irritable bowel syndrome. SETTING--Urban population in Southampton and mixed urban-rural population in Andover, Hampshire. RESULTS--A response of 71% yielded 1620 questionnaires for analysis, of which 412 (25%) reported more than six episodes of abdominal pain in the preceding year, with 350 (22%) reporting symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. The male: female ratio was 1:1.38. More subjects with irritable bowel syndrome had constipation and diarrhoea and 35% with the syndrome reported rectal bleeding compared with an overall prevalence of 20%. Other symptoms and conditions including heartburn, dyspepsia, flushing, palpitations, migraine, and urinary symptoms were significantly more common in the group with irritable bowel syndrome. Abdominal pain in childhood was more common in the subjects with irritable bowel syndrome (12%) than without (3%). One third of the group with irritable bowel syndrome had sought medical advice during the study period (male:female ratio 1:1.21); consultation behaviour was influenced by age and the presence of associated symptoms, varied considerably among patients registered with different general practitioners, and was poorly correlated with symptom severity. CONCLUSION--Symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome are present in almost one quarter of the general population and tend to be associated with a number of other complaints and conditions, some of which may reflect smooth muscle dysfunction.
Collaboration tool especially designed for Life Science professionals.Drag-and-drop any entity to your messages.