title: Irritable bowel syndrome--prognosis and diagnostic safety. A 5-year follow-up study.
abstract: The irritable bowel syndrome is the commonest diagnosis in gastroenterological clinics, although diagnostic criteria and investigatory programs vary. To elucidate the diagnostic safety and prognosis of the syndrome, a retrospective study was conducted. One hundred and twelve consecutive patients with irritable bowel syndrome as the final and only abdominal diagnosis in the period 1977-79 were followed up in 1984. Seventeen patients died during the follow-up period; two of these were considered diagnostic failures (chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer). Of the remaining 95 patients, 93 were available for the follow-up study. Three diagnostic failures were found (gallbladder stones, kidney stone, thyrotoxicosis). The diagnostic failure rate was accordingly 4.5% (5/110). Half of the patients had unchanged or aggravated symptoms at the follow-up study, independent of treatment. The only predictor of a poor prognosis was abdominal surgery before the diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies