Abstract
BackgroundIrritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a hidden public health disease that affects up to 20% of the general population. Although co-morbidity can affect diagnose setting and treatment of the disease, there are few studies concerning diagnosed and registered co-morbidity for IBS patients in primary care. The aim of this study was to analyse co-morbidity among IBS-patients compared to age- and sex-matched controls from the general population using data from a county-wide computerized medical record system.MethodsIBS cases were recruited from three Swedish primary health care centres during a five-years period and controls from the same corresponding geographical areas. Co-morbidity data for IBS-patients and morbidity data for controls were derived from a population-based Health Care Register (HCR) covering all diagnoses in primary as well as hospital care in the region. Odds Ratios with 95% confidence intervals for morbidity in gastro-intestinal and non-gastrointestinal diagnoses for cases with irritable bowel syndrome compared to controls were calculated separately for each gender and diagnosis.ResultsWe identified more co-morbidity among IBS patients of both sexes, compared to matched controls in the general population. Patients with IBS were particularly more worried about having a serious disease than their control group. The risk among male IBS-cases to get this latter diagnose was three times higher compared to the male controls.ConclusionsIn this population based case–control study, the analysis of diagnoses from the HCR revealed a broad spectrum of common co-morbidity and significantly more physician-recorded diagnoses among IBS-patients in comparisons to the control group.
Highlights
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a hidden public health disease that affects up to 20% of the general population
The International classifications of diseases (ICD)-diagnosis “worry about serious disease” Z71.1 was more common among IBS cases of both sexes compared to their controls; more than three times frequent among males Odds ratio (OR) = 3.30 and almost twice as common among females OR = 1.62, see Table 2
Females were to a larger extent than female controls diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and diagnoses related to musculoskeletal problems and pain
Summary
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a hidden public health disease that affects up to 20% of the general population. Co-morbidity can affect diagnose setting and treatment of the disease, there are few studies concerning diagnosed and registered co-morbidity for IBS patients in primary care. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGD) which affects up to 20% of the general population, but can be considered as a “hidden” public health disease. Other studies have shown that approximately 50% of IBS patients from primary care and specialist clinics have at least one co-morbid symptom [17]. Hudson et al reported that co-morbidity related to IBS includes fibromyalgia, migraine, chronic fatigue syndrome, major depression and panic disorder [18]. Psychosocial factors may influence the health care seeking behaviours in addition to the irritable bowel syndrome itself. The causal relationship between IBS and psychosocial factors are still unknown [5,23]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
