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Sex-Related Differences in Clinical Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Biochemical Factors in Irritable Bowel Syndrome

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Abstract

Background

Due to the sex differences in physiological and psychological factors, it can be speculated that clinical presentation of symptoms in male and female patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) might be different.

Aim

To evaluate sex-related differences in clinical symptoms, quality of life, and biochemical factors in IBS.

Methods

Ninety IBS patients (29 men, 61 women (45 premenopausal, 16 postmenopausal)) were recruited from the outpatient clinic of the University Hospital. All the patients met the Rome III Diagnostic Criteria. The IBS severity score system (IBS-SSS), gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, IBS specific quality of life (IBS-QoL), and biochemical factors (IL-17, IL-10, TNFα, malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC)) were assessed.

Results

Diarrhea predominant IBS (IBS-D) was more common in men (44.8%), whereas constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) and alternating bowel habits IBS (IBS-A) were more common in women (39.3, 42.6%, respectively). The women had a greater severity of abdominal distention, rumbling, flatulence, and dissatisfaction with bowel habits as compared with men. The scores of IBS-QoL in women were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those in men. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-17, TNFα) increased, and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) decreased in women versus men. In addition, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between pre- and postmenopausal women in the severity of symptoms. All of the GI symptoms and IBS-SSS have a significant negative correlation with IBS-QoL in both men and women.

Conclusions

Female with IBS reports a greater severity of IBS symptoms, increased inflammatory cytokines, and has an impaired quality of life compared with male.

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Abbreviations

IBS:

Irritable bowel syndrome

QoL:

Quality of life

IBS-SSS:

IBS severity-scoring system

IBS-QoL:

IBS-specific QoL

GI:

Gastrointestinal

IBS-D:

Diarrhea-predominant

IBS-C:

Constipation-predominant

IBS-A:

Alternating bowel habits

TNFα:

Tumor necrosis factor α

IL-10:

Interleukin 10

IL-17:

Interleukin 17

SD:

Standard deviation

VAS:

Visual analog scale

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by a Grant (No. NRC-9410) from the Vice-Chancellor for Research at the Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences and approved by the Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.

Author’s contribution

AA is the guarantor of the manuscript; AA, RA, and RC provided the overall concept and framework for the manuscript and is involved in the drafting and critical revision of the manuscript; MA served as the coordinating investigator; AA was responsible for the statistical analyses. All authors contributed to data interpretation, critically reviewed the manuscript, and approved the final version of the manuscript, including the authorship list.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutritional Health Research Center, Department of Nutrition, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Goledasht Blvd, Khorramabad, 6813833946, Iran

    Razieh Choghakhori & Amir Abbasnezhad

  2. Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Researcher Center, Department of Nutrition, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Amir Abbasnezhad & Meysam Alipour

  3. Health Research Institute, Diabetes Research Center, Department of Nutrition, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Reza Amani

  4. Food Security Research Center, Health Research Institute, Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Reza Amani

Authors
  1. Razieh Choghakhori
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  2. Amir Abbasnezhad
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  3. Reza Amani
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  4. Meysam Alipour
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amir Abbasnezhad.

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None of the authors reported a conflict of interest related to the study.

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Choghakhori, R., Abbasnezhad, A., Amani, R. et al. Sex-Related Differences in Clinical Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Biochemical Factors in Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Dig Dis Sci 62, 1550–1560 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-017-4554-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-017-4554-6

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