IBS is a common functional disorder of the large intestine that affects an estimated 20% of the global population, with a significant negative impact on quality of life and high co-occurrence with anxiety and depression.[1] IBS is twice as common in women compared to men, which could be explained, in part, by genetics and hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle.[2]
IBS can be classified into three different subtypes: diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D), constipation-predominant (IBS-C), or mixed (IBS-M). If it occurs after a gastrointestinal infection, such as food poisoning, it’s considered post-infectious IBS.[3]
References
- ^Cassar GE, Youssef GJ, Knowles S, Moulding R, Austin DWHealth-Related Quality of Life in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Gastroenterol Nurs.(2020)
- ^Adeyemo MA, Spiegel BM, Chang LMeta-analysis: do irritable bowel syndrome symptoms vary between men and women?Aliment Pharmacol Ther.(2010-Sep)
- ^Irritable Bowel Syndrome:NIDDK; Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, USA, cited January 2022