Outcome of investigating women presenting with chronic abdominal pain in Jordan

ABSTRACT

To characterize the possible risk factors, clinical features, and outcome for women referred with abdominal pain that subsequently underwent investigations including colonoscopy and were found to be normal. The records of 500 women with abdominal pain seen in outpatient clinics in three hospitals at Royal Medical Services-Jordan, between January 2001 and April 2005, who subsequently underwent various gastrointestinal investigations were analyzed. Subjects were divided into two groups according to results as women with underlying causes for their abdominal pain and women with normal investigation and considered to have Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Three hundred fifty two [70%] women had normal investigations, 148 [30%] women had underlying causes. Social restrictions [family or the cultural limitations] was the only possible risk factor more frequently encountered in women with irritable bowel syndrome group [P<0.05]. Abnormal stool form or passage was the most common associated symptom. One hundred ninety three 193 [55%] patients with irritable bowel syndrome continue to visit the clinics because of abdominal pain. One hundred and two [53%] of them continued to take medications. Thirty one [16%] patients were admitted to hospital because of severe abdominal pain, and three [1.6%] were found to have an underlying cause. In women referred with abdominal pain, a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome was common. A hidden pathology such as celiac disease, microscopic colitis, or food intolerance may still come under the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome in Jordan, therefore good assessment is always needed