Irritable bowel syndrome in health care professionals in Pakistan.
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.
Jafei
W
W
Section of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
Yakoob
J
J
Jafri
N
N
Maloni
M
M
Hamid
S
S
Shah
H A
HA
Abid
S
S
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