Use of the Functional Bowel Disorder Severity Index (FBDSI) in a study of patients with the irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Fun ctional Bowel Disorder Severity Index (FBDSI) as a measure of severity of d isease among patients with the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and matched c ontrols. METHODS: A total of 75 IBS patients and 69 matched controls completed quest ionnaires on bowel symptoms, health status, quality of life, psychological distress, concerns, anxiety, and sense of coherence. All participants also were tested for fibromyalgia (FS), a functional disorder of the musculoskel etal system. All participants were administered a questionnaire that includ ed the FBDSI. On the basis of their responses to the questionnaire, the con trols were subdivided as healthy controls (n = 48) or IBS nonpatients (n = 21). On the basis of the FS classification, 75 IBS patients were subdivided as IBS only (n = 50) or IBS and FS combined (n = 25). RESULTS: The mean FBDSI score was higher for the IBS patients than the cont rols (100.5 +/- 12.7 and 23.5 +/- 3.9, respectively; p < 0.001). IBS nonpat ients had an intermediate score of 42.3 +/- 18.0. Patients with both IBS an d fibromyalgia had the highest mean FBDSI score: 138.8 +/- 31.5. There was no association between FBDSI and age or gender, bur FBDSI was significantly associated with other measures of health status. CONCLUSIONS: An association was found between the FBDSI and IBS patient sta tus: IBS nonpatients. patients with IBS only, and patients with both IBS an d fibromyalgia had increasingly severe scores. The results provide support for the validity of FBDSI as a measure of illness severity in functional ga strointestinal disorders. (C) 2000 by Am. Cell. of Gastroenterology.