title: Irritable bowel syndrome in health care professionals in Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the symptomatology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) among health care professionals attending an IBS symposium in a tertiary care university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire designed to incorporate Manning and Rome II criteria was distributed among participants of an IBS symposium, most of them were health care professionals. A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed, 41 had symptoms fulfilling criteria of IBS. In these patients male: female ratio was 28:13 with age range 18-68.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The predominant symptom was abdominal pain 87.8 % (36/41) which was aggravated post-prandially 72.2% (29/41), relieved following defecation in 87% (35/41) with a sense of incomplete evacuation 85.3% (35/41) and distention after defecation in 80.4% (33/41). Anxiety and depression was present in 80% (33/41) as an extraintestinal symptom.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Irritable bowel syndrome is common in health care workers with intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations being equally common.
authors: Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Jafei
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Yakoob
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Jafri
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Maloni
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Hamid
authors: H A
authors: HA
authors: Shah
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Abid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence