Use of Rome criteria for the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome in primary care: a survey among European countries.

Background And Objectives: The majority of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are diagnosed and treated in primary care. The aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of the Rome criteria in daily primary care clinical practice and adherence of general practitioners (GPs) to recommended diagnostic approaches for IBS.

Patients And Methods: A survey consisting of 18 questions was distributed across 11 European countries and was used to assess GPs' diagnostic approach of IBS, the use of Rome criteria in daily practice and GPs' perspective on the aetiology of the disorder.