Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms using Rome IV criteria in patients with inactive inflammatory bowel disease and relation with quality of life

Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 May;99(19):e20067. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000020067.

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms tend to be common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients even during the long-standing remission phase, and quality of life (QOL) seem to reduce in IBD patients with such symptoms. Thus, the aim of this study was to define the prevalence of IBS-like symptoms in inactive IBD patients using Rome IV criteria and evaluate the effect of IBS-like symptoms on QOL.Total 137 patients with IBD (56 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 81 with Crohn disease (CD), who had been in long-standing remission according to the clinical scoring system and 123 control participants were included. These patients completed questionnaires to evaluate IBS-like symptoms according to Rome IV criteria, and the impact of these symptoms on the QOL of inactive IBD patients was compared with and without IBS-like symptoms according to disease-specific inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ).Depending on our research, IBS-like symptoms were found in 32% (18/56) of patients with inactive UC, 35% (29/81) of patients with inactive CD, and 13.8% (17/123) of control participants (P < .001). The QOL seemed to be significantly lower in both inactive UC and CD patients with IBS-like symptoms than in those without such symptoms (P < .001).In conclusion, we defined that the prevalence of IBS-like symptoms in IBD patients in remission is 2 to 3 times higher than that in healthy control participants, and significantly lower IBDQ scores showed QOL was reduced in inactive IBD patients with IBS-like symptoms as compared with patients without IBS-like symptoms.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / complications*
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome / epidemiology*
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome / etiology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Quality of Life*
  • Symptom Assessment