Defecation symptoms in primary health care patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Background: The objectives of the present study were to (a) measure the prevalence of defecation symptoms in IBS, (b) investigate the relationship between stool consistency and defecation symptoms in IBS, and (c) investigate the association of defecation symptoms with health-related quality of life (HRQL) and self-reported stress in patients with IBS cared for in a primary health care setting.Methods: Ten primary health care centres joined the study. 282 patients with IBS as well as 372 non-IBS controls filled in gastrointestinal symptom diaries prospectively for two weeks as well as the Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS14) and the EuroQol barometer to measure perceived stress and HRQL, respectively.Results: Incomplete evacuation was present in 51% vs. 21% of the stools among the IBS patients and the non-IBS controls, respectively. The need to strain during defecation was existing in 41% vs. 33% of the stools for the IBS patients and the non-IBS controls, respectively. Urgency was experienced in 37% of the stools in the IBS patients compared with 18% of the stools in the non-IBS controls. Patients with IBS experienced in a significant higher degree of overlapping symptoms per stool (p