title: A study of irritable bowel syndrome diagnosed by Manning criteria in an African population.
abstract: Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using the Manning Criteria were sought by a questionnaire administered to 400 (male-female ratio 3:1) apparently healthy medical students. With a response rate of 84%, 230 (65.5%) reported more than six episodes of abdominal pain in the preceding year (1992-1993). Contrary to expectation, 100 (43.5%) reported symptoms consistent with the diagnosis of IBS. The one-year period prevalence of the syndrome was 30% overall, with prevalence figures of 24% for males and 48% for females (P < 0.01). There was no difference in the type of diet (mainly high-fiber diets) consumed by subjects with and without IBS. About two thirds of the subjects with IBS had sought medical advice during the study period; the consultation behavior was influenced by factors such as the presence of other symptoms. This is the first detailed evidence in a random sample of an African population showing symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of IBS to be very common. It casts doubt on the assumption generated by other workers that IBS is rare among native Africans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: I O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Olubuyide
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Olawuyi
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fasanmade
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000208:ethnology; D000328:Adult; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology*; D004032:Diet; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires