IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME – DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT IN FAMILY MEDICINE PRACTICE

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common diseases of gastro-enterology, associating abdominal pain, transit disorders and changes in the consistency of the stools. Material and method. The study included 200 patients suffering from IBS, selected from a total of 2,300 patients of a family medicine practice in urban area. For diagnosis and classification, Rome III criteria and Bristol scale were used. For a subgroup was applied a questionnaire for the evaluation of quality of life, QoL. Treatment was initiated on three levels. Results. The incidence of the disease during the 3 years of study (2013-2016) was 2.9%. The type of IBS most often encountered was the one with dominance of constipation (IBS-C 32.5%), followed by the alternating form (IBS-A 26%), mixed (IBS-M-24%) and the dominance of diarrhea (IBS-D 18.5%). Form with more severe impact on the quality of life is IBS-C – 52.24 score, and most easily tolerated IBS-A – 69 score. Treatment was initiated at the on level I at 33% of the patients at the on level II to 36 %, and on level III to 31% of the patients. Maximum efficiency of treatment scores were obtained from patients on treatment level III. Complete remission of symptoms is obtained only in 9.5% of total patients. Conclusions. SII is a common condition in family medicine practice, due to changes in the modern diet. The diagnosis can be facilitated by the application of questionnaires, and treatment is based on changes in lifestyle and on pharmacological agents.

Keywords

• irritable bowel syndrome
• family medicine
• guided therapy