Case-control study, 1998
Does the menstrual cycle affect bowel disease symptoms?
Yes, significantly. Women with bowel disease reported much more cyclical bowel symptoms than healthy women, with Crohn's disease patients particularly affected.
What they did
This was a retrospective study where researchers interviewed 49 women with ulcerative colitis, 49 with Crohn's disease, 46 with IBS, and 90 healthy controls about their health, medications, pregnancies, and menstrual symptoms.
What they found
93% of all women reported premenstrual symptoms. Women with Crohn's disease reported increased gastrointestinal symptoms during menstruation significantly more often than other groups, with diarrhea being the most common. All disease groups showed cyclical patterns in bowel habits significantly more than controls (p=0.01). Women with bowel disease were twice as likely to experience cyclical changes in bowel habits (odds ratio 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.2) compared to controls.
What it means for you
The menstrual cycle affects bowel symptoms in women with bowel disease. Doctors should consider the menstrual cycle when evaluating whether a woman's disease is getting worse. The main limit is that women reported past symptoms from memory rather than recording them when they happened.
93%
percentage of all women reporting premenstrual symptoms
2.0 (1.2-3.2)
odds ratio for cyclical bowel habit changes in disease women
p=0.01
significance for all disease groups vs controls showing cyclical patterns
About the study
- Original title
- The menstrual cycle and its effect on inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome: a prevalence study
- Authors
- Kane SV, Sable K, Hanauer SB
- Journal
- The American journal of gastroenterology
- Year
- 1998
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 49
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.1998.540_i.x
Topics
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