The Feature of Clinical Symptoms and Health-related Quality of Life in Patients with Overlapping Functional Dyspepsia and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Background: Epidemiological studies suggest the presence of considerable symptoms overlap between functional dyspepsia(FD) and irritable bowel syndrome(IBS). Aims: To appraise the clinical symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with overlapped FD and IBS. Methods: 1410 patients from three hospitals in Jinan with overlapped FD and IBS, FD or IBS alone were investigated by using a questionnaire on gastrointestinal symptoms and HRQL. All the scales were compared and analyzed. Results: FD with overlapping IBS group was more likely to be female (male: female=1∶1.8). The overall symptoms were significantly more severe in FD with overlapping IBS group than that in FD or IBS group alone (P0.01). The scale of HRQL decreased more significantly in FD with overlapping IBS group than that in FD or IBS groups. Conclusions: FD with overlapping IBS suggests that the two may have the same gastroenterology basis. FD with overlapping IBS patient is more prevalent in female patients, and the symptoms are more serious, which may be related to gut hypersensitivity in female.