Irritable Bowel Syndrome Demographics: A Middle Eastern Multinational Cross-sectional Study

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder.
• Understanding IBS demographics and clinical features in diverse regions is crucial for targeted management.
• The Middle East presents unique environmental and cultural factors that may influence IBS presentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of IBS among Middle Eastern populations.
• To compare IBS subtypes, symptoms, and associated psychological conditions across subtropical and temperate regions.
• To identify potential correlations between information-seeking behaviors and psychological distress in IBS patients.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 509 IBS patients diagnosed via Rome IV criteria across nine tertiary centers in four Middle Eastern countries.
• Data collection included demographics, clinical aspects, IBS subtypes, and prevalence of depression and anxiety.
• Patients were categorized based on residency in subtropical versus temperate climate zones.

Main Results:

• IBS-Diarrhea (IBS-D) was more prevalent in temperate regions (22.1%) compared to subtropical regions (6.8%) (P < 0.001).
• Bloating was a common symptom in both regions.
• Higher rates of depression (41.6% vs. 16.5%) and anxiety (80.5% vs. 58.4%) were observed in temperate area residents.

Conclusions:

• Climate may influence IBS subtype prevalence, with IBS-D being more common in temperate Middle Eastern areas.
• Psychological comorbidities like anxiety and depression are significantly elevated in temperate regions.
• Seeking health information online correlates with increased anxiety and depression in IBS patients.