Irritable bowel syndrome: Physicians' awareness and patients' experience

Table 1 Manning, Rome I, II and III criteria for irritable bowel syndrome[5-7,9]

Manning

Pain eased after BM

Looser stools at onset of pain

More frequent BM at onset of pain

Abdominal distension

Mucus throughout rectum

Feeling of incomplete emptying

Rome I criteria

3 mo or more of continuous or recurrent symptoms

Abdominal pain or discomfort

Relieved with defecation; and/or

Associated with a change in frequency of stool; and/or

Associated with a change in consistency of stool; and

Two or more of the following, at least 25% of occasions or days

Altered stool frequency (> 3 BMs/d or < 3/wk)

Altered stool form (lumpy/hard or loose/watery stool),

Altered stool passage (straining, urgency, tenesmus)

Passage of mucus

Bloating or feeling of abdominal distension

Rome II criteria

At least 12 wk (which need not be consecutive)

In the preceding 12 mo, of abdominal discomfort or pain that has two out of three features

Relieved with defecation; and/or

Onset associated with a change in frequency of stool, and/or

Onset associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool

Rome III criteria

Recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort at least 3 d/mo

In the last 3 mo association with two or more of the following:

Improvement with defecation

Onset associated with a change in frequency of stool

Onset associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool

BM: Bowel movement.