Irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms and health related quality of life two years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass - a prospective cohort study

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is prevalent in patients with morbid obesity. After Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) chronic abdominal pain is common, however the etiology is largely unknown. We aimed to study the change in the prevalence of IBS-like symptoms 2 years after RYGB and possible preoperative predictors of such symptoms. Secondly, to evaluate changes in symptoms of constipation and diarrhea, and Health related quality of life (HRQoL). Patients with morbid obesity were included at two obesity centers in South-Eastern Norway. IBS was diagnosed according to the Rome III criteria. Predictors were evaluated in a multivariable logistic regression analysis. Of 307 participants operated with RYGB, 233 (76%) completed the study questionnaires. Preoperatively 27/233 participants (12%) had IBS, 2 years after RYGB 61/233 (26%) had IBS-like symptoms (p