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. METHOD 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. CONCLUSION Irritable bowel syndrome is common in health care workers with intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations being equally common.