Work productivity and activity impairment in disorders of gut-brain interaction: Data from the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study

BACKGROUND

Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI) are highly prevalent worldwide, but their effect on work productivity has not gained much attention.

AIMS AND METHODS

We aimed to compare work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI) in persons with and without DGBI in a large population-based cohort and identify factors independently associated with WPAI in subjects with DGBI. Data were collected from Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden via Internet surveys as part of the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology Study. Apart from the Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire, questionnaires evaluating WPAI related to general health (WPAI:GH), psychological distress (PHQ-4), somatic symptom severity (PHQ-15) and other factors were assessed.

RESULTS

Of the 16,820 subjects, 7111 met the criteria for DGBI according to the Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire. Subjects with DGBI were younger (median (interquartile range) age 43 (31-58) vs. 47 (33-62)) and more often female (59.0% vs. 43.7%) compared to subjects without DGBI. Subjects with DGBI had higher absenteeism, presenteeism (poor work productivity due to illness), overall work impairment and activity impairment (p < 0.001) compared with subjects without. For subjects with DGBI affecting more than one anatomical region, WPAI was incrementally higher for each additional region. There were significant differences in WPAI for subjects with DGBI in different countries. Subjects from Sweden had the highest overall work impairment and from Poland the lowest. Using multiple linear regression, male sex, fatigue, psychological distress, somatic symptom severity and number of anatomical regions were independently associated with overall work impairment (p < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSION

In the general population, people with DGBI have substantial WPAI compared with those without DGBI. The reasons for these findings should be explored further, but having multiple DGBI, psychological distress, fatigue and somatic symptom severity seem to contribute to this impairment associated with DGBI.

The Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology study: Conception, implementation, results, and future potential

BACKGROUND

Methodological problems have impeded successful epidemiological research into disorders of gut-brain interactions (DGBI), as previous studies were limited in terms of study population, diagnostic criteria, number of disorders assessed, data collection methods, and geographic area. Most prevalence estimates were based on pooling data from heterogeneous studies using inappropriate pooling methods, seriously limiting the relevance of the results. The Rome Foundatiion Global Epidemiology Study (RFGES) aimed to rectify these limitations using rigorous methodology to survey the prevalence of 22 DGBI in large population samples in 33 countries. Its aims were to conduct a comprehensive, multinational epidemiological study using rigorous research methodology, gain a better understanding of the burden of the DGBI, gain reliable regional estimates of DGBI prevalence, and advance our understanding of the pathophysiology of IBS. The study questionnaire consisted of the 89-item Rome IV Adult Diagnostic Questionnaire enabling the diagnosis of 22 DGBI, and an 80-item supplemental questionnaire that enabled analyses of the association of multiple factors with DGBI diagnoses.

PURPOSE FOR REVIEW ARTICLE

This review paper introduces a special issue on the Rome Foundation Global Epidemiology study (RFGES) with a narrative description of its conception, development, and implementation, its outcomes to date, and its potential contribution to neurogastroenterology. It includes 15 papers that reflect the range of RFGES studies from single country papers to intra-regional studies, to inter-regional studies, and one global study.

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: History, Pathophysiology, Clinical Features and Rome IV

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), the most common diagnoses in gastroenterology are recognized by morphological and physiological abnormalities that often occur in combination including motility disturbance, visceral hypersensitivity, altered mucosal and immune function, altered gut microbiota and altered central nervous system processing. Research on these gut-brain interaction disorders is based on using specific diagnostic criteria. The Rome Foundation has played a pivotal role in creating diagnostic criteria thus operationalizing the dissemination of new knowledge in the field of FGIDs. Rome IV is a compendium of the knowledge accumulated since Rome III was published 10 years ago. It improves upon Rome III by: 1) updating the basic and clinical literature, 2) offering new information on gut microenvironment, gut-brain interactions, pharmacogenomics, biopsychosocial, gender and cross cultural understandings of FGIDs, 3) reduces the use of imprecise and occassionally stigmatizing terms when possible, 4) uses updated diagnostic algorithms, 5) incorporates information on the patient illness experience, and physiological subgroups or biomarkers that might lead to more targeted treatment. This introductory article sets the stage for the remaining 17 articles that follow and offers an historical overview of the FGIDs field, differentiates FGIDs from motility and structural disorders, discusses the changes from Rome III, reviews the Rome committee process, provides a biopsychosocial pathophysiological conceptualization of FGIDs, and offers an approach to patient care.