Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common in the
community, are of chronic nature and pose a significant health care
burden. The causes and pathogenetic mechanisms of FGIDs are not fully
known. FGID are classified into three major domains: functional
dyspepsia, functional bowel disorders including irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS), and heartburn. The aim was to study the natural history of FGID
in the Icelandic population over a 10-year period. Only one other study
has been performed on FGIDs using the same methodology, in Olmsted
County Minnesota, USA and thus providing the possibility of a direct
comparison. Secondary objectives of the study were: 1) to compare the
prevalence and stability of IBS according to the Manning criteria, Rome
II, Rome III subtypes, and self-reported IBS over a 10 year period: 2)
to study IBS and dysmenorrhea in women and to assess the change in IBS
over menopause: 3) to study if and how physicians use the IBS criteria
and to assess treatment strategies among physicians for IBS patients.
This book should help shed some light on this health care problem, and
should be especially useful to professionals in gastroenterology.