Prevalence estimates for gastrointestinal (GI) diagnosis according to GI alarm symptoms
| Lower GI disease v IBS | Upper GI disease v FD | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower GI organic disease (n = 66) (%) | IBS (n = 214) (%) | Upper GI organic disease (n = 251) (%) | FD (n = 70) (%) | |
| IBS, irritable bowel syndrome; FD, functional dyspepsia. | ||||
| *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001. | ||||
| Age >45 y | 56.1 | 37.9** | 57.8 | 47.1 |
| Age >50 y | 45.5 | 23.4*** | 45.8 | 34.3 |
| Age >55 y | 36.4 | 14.5*** | 32.7 | 22.9 |
| Female sex | 51.5 | 78.0*** | 52.6 | 62.9 |
| Nocturnal pain | 43.9 | 56.1 | 43.0 | 52.9 |
| Blood coating stools | 19.7 | 7.0* | 4.8 | 4.3 |
| Blood mixed with stools | 19.7 | 7.9** | 3.6 | 2.9 |
| Blood on the toilet paper | 42.4 | 21.0*** | 13.9 | 11.4 |
| Recurrent vomiting | 13.6 | 12.1 | 9.6 | 8.6 |
| Severe pain | 33.3 | 54.2** | 33.9 | 40.0 |
| Weekly pain | 59.1 | 74.8** | 52.6 | 61.4 |
| Altered bowel habit | 48.5 | 53.3 | 27.5 | 25.7 |
| Dysphagia | 13.6 | 26.6* | 23.1 | 28.6 |
| Weight loss <7 lb | 16.1 | 14.8 | 8.5 | 14.3 |
| Weight loss >7 lb | 16.1 | 15.2 | 8.1 | 14.3 |
| Decreased appetite | 19.7 | 25.2 | 16.3 | 28.6* |