The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract

Irritable bowel (IBS) is a commonest functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract and remains the diagnosis of exclusion. IBS unawareness leads to incorrect diagnosis and serious economic losses. The study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence of IBS in Russia from the data of domestic and foreign literature and those obtained at a specialized gastroenterological clinic for 2012-2014 based on Rome-III diagnostic criteria (2006) updated in 2007-2015. Materials and methods. The examination of 1/5 of the hospitalized patients revealed the prevalence of IBS (ICD-10,codes K 58.0, K 58.9). In 2012-2014, it was 18,4-22,5%. Interviews of the patients and analysis of medical documentation showed that mean duration of IBS symptoms averaged more than 5 years. Analysis of previous documents of 100 patients demonstrated the following frequency of pathological conditions: chronic pancreatitis 37%, dysbacteriosis 9%, chronic constipation 4%, intestinal inflammation 24%, combined pathology 21%, Post-cholecystectomy syndrome 5%. None of these patients presented with IBS. Conclusion. Unawareness of physicians and patients of IBS is the main cause of erroneous diagnostics. Patients with IBS symptoms consult various doctors including general practitioners, gastroenterologists, surgeons, gynecologists, rheumatologists, etc. which imposes a serious burden on healthcare services. Hence, the necessity of development ofmore reliable methods for diagnostics of IBS and relevant managerial strategies.