Functional somatic illnesses in patients with functional bowel disorders: A cross-sectional cohort study in western Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) in Saudi patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with IBS treated at a private tertiary medical center in western Saudi Arabia between 2013 and 2017. We used ROME 3 criteria with data from the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression scale, and International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) to assess the prevalence of psychosomatic illness. Statistical analysis of frequency and statistical correlation was performed using Chi-square. RESULTS: The final analysis of 307 patients revealed a combined 425 diagnoses of psychosomatic illness, including diagnoses of headache in 104 patients (34%), migraine in 93 patients (30.5%), fibromyalgia in 169 patients (55%), and depression in 59 patients (19%). There was a statistically significant correlation between patients’ ages and diagnoses of joint pain and migraines. CONCLUSION: Fibromyalgia and headache disorders were common in this cohort of Saudi patients with IBS. This coexistence of illness is partly explained by the functional nature of these illnesses. Collective efforts to provide multidisciplinary care is needed for these patients.