Epidemiological Study of the Prevalence and Correlation of Irritable Bowel Features with Certain Factors in PCO Patients

Abstract

PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age group ; though because of difference in diagnosis criteria employed, prevalence estimates vary widely from 2.2% to as high as 26% , however since the prevalence is different according to ethnic groups, a higher prevalence is expected among women of South Asian origin (including our country), where it was also reported to present at a younger age and with more severe symptoms [Wijeyarathe, C. N] .Bloating, though frequently complained of in those patients, yet not consistent or diagnostic of PCOS [PCO Diet Support] . Some of the inherent clinical features of the disease include obesity, higher prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 DM, sleep apnoea than is observed in the general population. Those women are also risky for cardiovascular complications as well as gynaecological malignancies of the ovary and endometrium. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) on the other hand is estimated to be prevalent at 20% [Northman, R. J. et al., 2007], and although as many as 1 in 5 American adults has signs and symptoms of IBS, fewer than 1 in 5 of symptomatic patients seek medical help. Some of the disease symptoms are shared with serious other GIT diseases which may possibly be underdiagnosed in IBS patients. Bloating is feature commonly shared by both PCO and IBS , and though many aetiologies have been postulated, however stress and hormonal disturbances are two causes thought to be in common [PCO Diet Support]. Objectives of our study were to assess the relationship between the two disease entities, taking PCOS patients and trying to search the prevalence of irritable features as well as the relationship between those features and other parameters as age, severity, and onset since PCO diagnosis. In this aspect, our study found: a high prevalence (45%) of GI complaints in general and of irritable bowel syndrome in particular among those PCO patients, Among those with GI features, 65% were in the low age group compared with those without, and only minority (22% ) had their GI complaints back before they were diagnosed with PCOS, whereas the majority (78%) had GI complaints starting after they had PCOS diagnosis. The majority (67%) of those with GI complaints had severe PCOS features rather than mild features