CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SOME FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SEVERITY OF ABDOMINAL PAIN AND BLOATING IN PATIENTS WITH IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME AT DONG NAI 2 GENERAL HOSPITAL
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Abstract
Background: Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) substantially affect patients’ quality of life. Objective: To investigate clinical characteristics and several factors associated with the severity of abdominal pain and bloating in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study with analytical components in 178 patients with irritable bowel syndrome at Dong Nai 2 General Hospital from June 2025 to January 2026. Results: Common lifestyle-related factors included low physical activity (79.8%), stress/anxiety (37.6%), smoking (30.9%), and consumption of coffee or carbonated beverages (27.5%). Abdominal pain most commonly occurred in the periumbilical region (54.5%) and epigastrium (48.9%), and was predominantly described as dull pain (51.2%). The median abdominal pain severity score was 4.0. Bloating/abdominal distension was present in 82.0% of patients, with a median severity score of 3.0. The most common irritable bowel syndrome subtype was IBS-D (41.6%), followed by IBS-M (32.0%). Abdominal pain severity was associated with female sex, stress/anxiety, and low physical activity; these associations remained significant in the multivariable model (female sex: β = 0.577, p = 0.009; stress/anxiety: β = 0.501, p = 0.011; low physical activity: β = 0.167, p = 0.045). For bloating severity, stress/anxiety was an independent associated factor (β = 0.881, p = 0.001), and frequent consumption of coffee/carbonated beverages was also significantly associated (β = 0.602, p = 0.048). Conclusion: In patients with irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain and bloating/abdominal distension were common symptoms. Abdominal pain severity was associated with female sex, stress/anxiety, and physical activity level, whereas bloating severity was associated with stress/anxiety and habitual consumption of coffee/carbonated beverages.
Keywords
Clinical characteristics, associated factors, abdominal pain, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome
Article Details
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