More similarities than differences between men and women with irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Differences regarding symptoms, coping abilities, and quality of life (QOL) between men and women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been reported but data are sparse and sometimes conflicting. The aim of present study was to investigate gender differences in gastrointestinal, extra-intestinal, and psychological symptoms, and sense of coherence (SOC) and QOL in a large group of patients diagnosed with IBS.

Methods: We analyzed questionnaire data from 557 patients (152 men) diagnosed with IBS consecutively included in studies at an outpatient clinic for functional bowel disorders between 2002 and 2010. Following questionnaires were included: IBS severity scoring system (IBS-SSS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD), IBSQOL Scale, Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI), SOC Scale, Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15).

Key Results: Women had harder stools (FDR-adjusted p-value: q = 0.033), more severe bloating (q = 0.020), higher symptom severity (q = 0.042), higher total somatic symptom burden (q = 0.035), lower SOC (q = 0.042), and lower QOL. Women rated more general anxiety (q = 0.017) and gastrointestinal-specific anxiety (q = 0.042), but there were no group differences in depression, pain, stool frequency, impact on daily life, dissatisfaction with bowel habit, or extra-colonic symptoms. The differences found were small (effect sizes: r < 0.3).

Conclusions & Inferences: In this study, we demonstrated more similarities than differences between men and women with IBS. The largest difference were seen for QOL which might reflect certain structural stressors to which women in general are more exposed than men.