title: Prevalence and impact of irritable bowel syndrome in people with epilepsy.
abstract: Epilepsy is known to be associated with affective disorders and sleep alterations, as well as with gastrointestinal conditions such as peptic ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease. There is comparatively little evidence linking epilepsy and gastrointestinal functional disorders. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and impact of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in patients with epilepsy.
  
  
  
  We carried out a cross-sectional observational study on 65 consecutive people with epilepsy (PWE) and age- and sex-matched controls. Irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia (FD) diagnosis were based on Rome III criteria. Clinical and demographic characteristics were recorded, and instruments evaluating sleep quality, depressive/anxiety symptoms, insomnia, and health-related quality of life were also completed.
  
  
  
  Irritable bowel syndrome prevalence was significantly different between groups (3% in controls and 16% in patients with epilepsy; p=0.04), while no difference was found in FD (2% vs. 6%, respectively). People with epilepsy with IBS had significantly more insomnia and depressive and anxiety symptoms. No demographic or clinical characteristics were significantly different between groups. The presence of IBS did not affect health-related quality of life in PWE. On multivariate analysis, insomnia and depressive and anxiety symptoms did not independently predict IBS diagnosis.
  
  
  
  Irritable bowel syndrome was more frequent in PWE compared with that in healthy controls. Irritable bowel syndrome does not appear to affect health-related quality of life but is associated with a greater burden of affective symptoms and insomnia.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
authors.forename: Carlos R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Camara-Lemarroy
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
authors.forename: Nicolás
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Escobedo-Zúñiga
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Zacarias
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peña-Avendaño
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico.
authors.forename: Estefanía
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Villarreal-Garza
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurologia, Hospital Universitario "Dr. José E. González", Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, N.L., Mexico. Electronic address: madiazt69@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Marco A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Díaz-Torres
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Comorbidity; Depression; Epilepsy; Irritable bowel syndrome; Sleep