title: Evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms in different patient groups using the visual analogue scale for irritable bowel syndrome (VAS-IBS).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility disorders have a similar clinical picture, although dysmotility disorders require the attention of a specialist. Patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) have also been described to suffer from IBS-like symptoms. No objective marker is available to distinguish between the patients. A visual analogue scale has been developed for IBS patients (VAS-IBS) to measure treatment response of GI symptoms and well-being in patients with IBS. The aim of the present study was to examine if VAS-IBS could be used to compare the degree of GI complaints in different patient populations, to get an objective marker to differentiate between the patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The VAS-IBS consists of 7 VAS scales, namely, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, bloating and flatulence, vomiting and nausea, psychological well-being and the intestinal symptoms' influence on daily life. Consecutive female patients suffering from IBS, dysmotility disorders and pSS were asked to complete the VAS-IBS questionnaire when visiting the out-patient clinics. In addition, a control population consisting of healthy female volunteers was included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Healthy volunteers had almost no GI symptoms, whereas all 3 patient groups expressed symptoms. There was no statistical significant difference between IBS and dysmotility in any of the scales besides vomiting and nausea (p = 0.044). Except for constipation, patients with pSS had less severe symptoms than the others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The VAS-IBS questionnaire could be used to assess the level of GI symptoms. However, VAS scores do not help the clinicians to differentiate between IBS and other dysmotility disturbances.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mariette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bengtsson
authors.forename: Oskar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hammar
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mandl
authors.forename: Bodil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003248:Constipation / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence / Q000175:diagnosis; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000175:diagnosis; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014839:Vomiting / Q000175:diagnosis
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