The Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Among Board-Certified Medical Doctors In Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders. A pooled analysis showed a global prevalence of 11.2%. Few studies looked at the prevalence of IBS in health care providers. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of IBS among board-certified physicians and surgeons. METHODS: Board-certified physicians and surgeons in Saudi Arabia were invited to complete a web-based survey. It included questions regarding participant demographics, specialty, practice type and hours worked per week. The Rome IV-validated questionnaire was used to identify subjects with IBS. The primary outcome of the study was the prevalence of IBS among physicians. Secondary outcomes included exploring the effect on IBS prevalence of age, gender, marital status, work hours, specialty, gastroenterology subspecialty and working in a public versus private hospital. RESULTS: The final analysis included 594 subjects, with 419 males and a median age of 41. The vast majority (86%) were married. Nearly 90% worked in a public hospital exclusively, and the median number of hours worked per week was 48. The overall prevalence of IBS was 16.3%. In a binary logistic regression model, age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.931, P < 0.0001), gender (OR = 0.504, P = 0.003) and work hours (OR = 2.397, P < 0.0001) significantly predicted the presence of IBS. Marital status and specialty did not predict IBS prevalence. DISCUSSION: This cross-sectional study shows that the prevalence of IBS among physicians in Saudi Arabia to be 16.3%. IBS was more common in females, those who worked longer hours and younger physicians. There was no association between practicing certain specialties and IBS. However, the lack of difference in our cohort may be attributed to the relatively small sample size from each specialty.

Increased duration of dual pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy for genotype 1 hepatitis C post-liver transplantation increases sustained virologic response: a retrospective review.

BACKGROUND/AIM: In patients with advanced post-transplant hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence, antiviral treatment (AVT) with interferon and ribavirin is indicated to prevent graft failure. The aim of this study was to determine and report Canadian data with respect to the safety, efficacy, and spontaneous virologic response (SVR) predictors of AVT among transplanted patients with HCV recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on patients transplanted in London, Ontario and Edmonton, Alberta from 2002 to 2012 who were treated for HCV. Demographic, medical, and treatment information was collected and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 85 patients with HCV received pegylated interferon with ribavirin post-liver transplantation and 28 of the 65 patients (43%) with genotype 1 achieved SVR. Of the patients having genotype 1 HCV who achieved SVR, there was a significantly lower stage of fibrosis (1.37 ± 0.88 vs. 1.89 ± 0.96; P = 0.03), increased ribavirin dose (total daily dose 1057 ± 230 vs. 856 ± 399 mg; P = 0.02), increased rapid virologic response (RVR) (6/27 vs. 0/31; P = 0.05), increased early virologic response (EVR) (28/28 vs. 18/35; P = 0.006), and longer duration of therapy (54.7 ± 13.4 weeks vs. 40.2 ± 18.7; P = 0.001). A logistic regression model using gender, age, RVR, EVR, anemia, duration of therapy, viral load, years' post-transplant, and type of organ (donation after cardiac death vs. donation after brain death) significantly predicted SVR (P < 0.001), with duration of therapy having a significant odds ratio of 1.078 (P = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified factors that predict SVR in HCV-positive patients who received dual therapy post-transplantation. Extending therapy from 48 weeks to 72 weeks of dual therapy is associated with increased SVR rates. Future studies examining the role of extended therapy are needed to confirm these findings, since the current study is a retrospective one.

Predictors of disease severity in ulcerative colitis patients from Southwestern Ontario.

AIM: To understand the demographic characteristics of patients in Southwestern Ontario, Canada with ulcerative colitis (UC) in order to predict disease severity. METHODS: Records from 1996 to 2001 were examined to create a database of UC patients seen in the London Health Sciences Centre South Street Hospital Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic. To be included, patients' charts were required to have information of their disease presentation and a minimum of 5 years of follow-up. Charts were reviewed using standardized data collection forms. Disease severity was generated during the chart review process, and non-endoscopic Mayo Score criteria were collected into a composite. RESULTS: One hundred and two consecutive patients' data were entered into the database. Demographic analyses revealed that 51% of the patients were male, the mean age at diagnosis was 39 years, 13.7% had a first degree relative with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), 61.8% were nonsmokers and 24.5% were ex-smokers. In 22.5% of patients the disease was limited to the rectum, in 21.6% disease was limited to the sigmoid colon, in 22.5% disease was limited to the left colon, and 32.4% of patients had pancolitis. Standard multiple regression analysis which regressed a composite of physician global assessment of disease severity, average number of bowel movements, and average amount of blood in bowel movements on year of diagnosis and age at time of diagnosis was significant, R(2) = 0.306, F (7, 74) = 4.66, P < 0.01. Delay from symptoms to diagnosis of UC, gender, family history of IBD, smoking status and disease severity at the time of diagnosis did not significantly predict the composite measure. CONCLUSION: UC severity is associated with younger age at diagnosis and year of diagnosis in a longitudinal cohort of UC patients, and may identify prognostic UC indicators.