Prevalence of abdominal symptoms in the Polish population

Introduction : There are no published data on the prevalence of common gastrointestinal disorders such as dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation and bloating in the Polish population.

Aim : The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of these most common abdominal symptoms.

Material and methods : The study involved a population sample aged 21 years or older from a medium-sized city. A total of 850 people (age range: 21-76 years) were interviewed. Demographic and anthropometric data, symptoms specific to dyspepsia, GERD, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, IBS, as well as nutritional habits, alcohol and tobacco use, and presence of concomitant diseases were studied in a face-to-face interview.

Results : Approximately 23% of participants suffered from dyspepsia, 36% had GERD, constipation was present in 13% of participants, and bloating in 31%. Only 7 participants reported chronic diarrhoea and 13% of participants had IBS symptoms. All the above-mentioned complaints were slightly more common in diabetic patients, but the difference was not significant.

Conclusions : The prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in the Polish population is high, and similar to the rates reported by investigators from other countries.