Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome and other functional gastrointestinal disorders in Uruguay

V Guido; Y Pontet; V López; C Olano

doi:10.1016/j.rgmxen.2023.06.005

Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome and other functional gastrointestinal disorders in Uruguay

Rev Gastroenterol Mex (Engl Ed). 2024 Apr 20:S2255-534X(24)00033-1. doi: 10.1016/j.rgmxen.2023.06.005. Online ahead of print.

Authors

V Guido¹, Y Pontet², V López², C Olano²

Affiliations

¹ Clínica de Gastroenterología Prof. Dra. Carolina Olano, Hospital de Clínicas, Montevideo, Uruguay. Electronic address: veroguido91@gmail.com.
² Clínica de Gastroenterología Prof. Dra. Carolina Olano, Hospital de Clínicas, Montevideo, Uruguay.

PMID: 38644084
DOI: 10.1016/j.rgmxen.2023.06.005

Abstract

Introduction and aims: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most frequent functional gastrointestinal disorders. Prevalence worldwide is estimated at 11%. There is little information on the prevalence of the other functional bowel disorders (FBDs). Our aim was to establish the prevalence of IBS and other FBDs according to the Rome IV criteria, in Uruguay.

Materials and methods: An observational, population-based prevalence study was conducted. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, utilizing the Rome IV criteria.

Results: Of the 1,052 participants (79% women, mean patient age 44 years), 47.2% met the Rome IV diagnostic criteria for at least one of the FBDs analyzed. Functional constipation (FC) was the most frequent, at 18.7% (16.4-21.1), followed by IBS at 17.1% (14.9-19.4) and functional diarrhea (FD) at 15.4% (13.3-17.6). IBS with constipation (IBS-C) was the most frequent IBS subtype (35%) and the IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) subtype predominated in men. All FBDs were more prevalent in women and youths. Of the survey participants with a FBD, 59% stated that they perceived no worsening of their symptoms related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusions: Ours is the first prevalence study on FBDs conducted on the Uruguayan general population. Half of the participants surveyed presented with a FBD analyzed in the study. FC was the most frequent, followed by IBS and FD. The prevalence rate of IBS was the highest, based on the Rome IV diagnostic criteria, and constipation was the most frequent subtype.

Keywords: Diarrea funcional; Estreñimiento funcional; Functional constipation; Functional diarrhea; Functional gastrointestinal disorders; Irritable bowel syndrome; Prevalence; Prevalencia; Síndrome de intestino irritable; Trastornos funcionales intestinales.