Illness behaviour profile
| IBS+ (n=22) | IBS− (n=72) | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illness experienced in preceding 12 months | |||
| Two or more colds | 13 (59) | 36 (50) | 0.12 |
| Visited doctor for cold | 3 (14) | 6 (8) | 0.43 |
| Two or more acute physical illnesses | 5 (23) | 8 (11) | 0.18 |
| Visited doctor for acute illness | 5 (23) | 8 (11) | 0.18 |
| Visited doctor for non-acute reason | 7 (32) | 25 (35) | 1.0 |
| Hospitalised | 1 (5) | 7 (10) | 0.68 |
| Missed work more than four days | 10 (46) | 16 (22) | 0.14 |
| Past medical history | |||
| Indigestion | 6 (27) | 17 (24) | 0.95 |
| Gastroenteritis | 4 (18) | 15 (21) | 1.0 |
| Asthma | 2 (9) | 9 (13) | 1.0 |
| Hay fever | 0 (0) | 19 (27) | 0.005 |
| Allergy | 3 (14) | 17 (12) | 1.0 |
| Rash | 3 (14) | 15 (21) | 0.55 |
| Hypertension | 4 (18) | 9 (13) | 0.50 |
| Hysterectomy | 3 (14) | 5 (7) | 0.58 |
| Cholecystectomy | 0 (0) | 2 (3) | 1.0 |
| Appendicectomy | 2 (9) | 10 (14) | 0.73 |
| Non-abdominal surgery | 9 (41) | 25 (35) | 0.78 |
Results expressed as no (%) of patients in the group who had a positive response.