|  Posted 9 years ago

French researchers suggest that Rome I criteria may not be sensitive enough to detect all irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients among those not actively seeking intervention for the condition.

Rome II criteria should be evaluated on a population basis to see if it would be more sensitive in identifying such IBS patients, they suggest.

Results of a population-based study by investigators from the hepato-gastroenterology department at Hotel-Dieu in Clermont-Ferrand indicate that the IBS prevalence in France is 4%.

The researchers point out this is close to the lower limit of 3% rather than the higher limit of 20% reported in the literature.

IBS was seen more frequently in women (5.3%) than in men (2.5%). Onset began less than 12 months earlier in 9.1% of IBS patients, suggesting a yearly incidence of 3.6 per 1,000 people, the researchers point out.

A total of 11,131 adults aged 18 years or older participated in the survey used to identify IBS patients. Those identified were questioned further about their symptoms and medical management of the condition.

Four hundred and forty five people were identified with IBS on the basis of Rome 1 criteria. The disease was diarrhoea-predominant in 32.3% of patients and constipation-predominant in 34.6%.

Approximately 84% of patients had consulted a doctor about the condition in the past 12 months, and 87.6% had taken medications for IBS symptoms.