Change in quality of life for patients with irritable bowel syndrome following referral to a gastroenterologist: a cohort study

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Canavan, Caroline, West, Joe and Card, Timothy R. (2015) Change in quality of life for patients with irritable bowel syndrome following referral to a gastroenterologist: a cohort study. Plos One, 10 (10). e0139389/1-e0139389/13. ISSN 1932-6203

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Official URL: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0139389

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic functional condition, considerably reduces quality of life (QoL) and referral to gastroenterology is common. Until now, however, the impact of seeing a gastroenterologist for IBS on patients’ QoL and utility has not been assessed.

METHODS: Patients referred with “probable IBS” to the Nottingham Treatment Centre between October 2012 and March 2014 were invited to complete a QoL questionnaire (EuroQol–5 Dimension) before their first appointment. Patients with confirmed IBS who completed this baseline assessment were sent follow-up questionnaires three and twelve months later. Global QoL and utility were measured at each time point and change from baseline calculated. Paired t-tests analysed the significance of any change.

RESULTS: Of 205 invited patients, 69 were eligible and recruited. Response at three and twelve months was 45% and 17% respectively. Median global QoL at baseline was 67.5 (Interquartile range [IQR] 50.0 to 80.0), with a mean increase of 3.25 (95% confidence interval [CI] -5.38 to 11.88) three months later and a mean decrease of -1.82 (95% CI -16.01 to 12.38) after one year. The median utility at baseline was 0.76 (IQR 0.69 to 0.80), with a mean increase of 0.06 (95%CI -0.01 to 0.14) at three months and no change, 0.00 (-0.16 to 0.16), after one year.

CONCLUSION: Patients experienced a small but not statistically significant increase in QoL and utility three months after seeing a gastroenterologist for IBS, which was not maintained. Gastroenterology referral does not appear to appreciably improve Qol for most people with IBS.

Item Type:

Article

RIS ID:

https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/764673

Schools/Departments:

University of Nottingham, UK > Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > School of Medicine > Division of Epidemiology and Public Health

Identification Number:

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0139389

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