ABSTRACT
Background:Irritable bowel syndrome( IBS ) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders. Analyzing the regional differences of symptomatic profiles may provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of IBS. Aims:To preliminarily investigate the symptomatic characteristics of IBS patients in Fujian province,China for the reference of diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods:A total of 703 IBS out-patients based on the RomeⅢcriteria and presented to the gastroenterological clinic of 15 tertiary hospitals in Fujian Province,China from Jun. 2011 to Apr. 2012 were enrolled in a face-to-face survey. The questionnaire mainly included demographic data,course of the disease, and clinical symptoms. Results:In 703 IBS patients,the ratio of male to female was 1:1. 3,and the peak of age was 35-45 years(32. 4%). More than half of the patients were diarrhea-predominant IBS(IBS-D,58. 2%),while constipation-predominant IBS( IBS-C)accounted for 22. 6% of the patients. Abdominal pain/discomfort,abdominal distention and abnormal defecation,including diarrhea,constipation,feeling of incomplete defecation and mucous stool were the most important lower GI symptoms. In the four subtypes of IBS,the symptoms of mixed IBS( IBS-M)were most serious( P<0. 05). Compared with IBS-C,abdominal pain was more severe in IBS-D and IBS-M(P<0. 05),however,abdominal distention was more severe in IBS-C than in IBS-D(P<0. 05). About one third of the patients(32. 9%)were overlapped with upper GI symptoms,and the most common upper GI symptoms were postprandial fullness and eructation. Sixty-eight (9. 7%)patients were overlapped with functional dyspepsia. Conclusions:In Fujian Province,China,more than half of the IBS patients were IBS-D. The symptomatic profiles are different between different subtypes of IBS. Some of the IBS patients may be overlapped with upper GI symptoms or functional dyspepsia.