Microorganisms coexist in the human body and its function is essential to maintain normal physiology and homeostasis. Microbiota refers to the entire population of microorganisms that colonizes a particular location; includes not just bacteria but also other microbes. Gut microbiota is vast and complex. It could be changed dynamically according to the variable factors. Well balanced host-microbial symbiotic state is a harmonious ecosystem in the stable individual. But, dysbiosis is a state of deviation in composition or function from the usual gut microbiota. It has been found that this condition is associated with many gastrointestinal, metabolic, allergic and the other diseases. Dysbiosis plays an important role in the pathophysiology of functional bowel disease, such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation. Probiotics is microorganism which, when administrated in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Probiotics have beneficial effects to reduce several symptoms of functional bowel diseases. Currently, complementary and alternative medicine therapies with probiotics is recommended for symptomatic relief from functional bowel disease.
The Korean version of Bowel disease questionnaire (BDQ-K) was developed to evaluate the symptom items required to meet the definition of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). We evaluated the test-retest reliability and validity of the self-reported BDQ-K and prevalence of functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) according to the Rome-III criteria.
Sixty-nine patients participated in the test-retest reliability study, with a two week interval, and another 74 patients were enrolled to assess the self-reported questionnaire versus a doctor's interview (concurrent validity). A total of 3,325 subjects (mean age, 44±9 yrs; 58.3% male) presenting for an upper endoscopy responded to the BDQ-K at a health promotion center, but 797 subjects with organic diseases were excluded.
In the validity study of the BDQ-K, the median kappa value was 0.74 (0.36~1.0). The median kappa value for the test-retest was 0.56 (range 0.22~1.0), including abdominal pain (κ=0.51, P<0.001), pain onset before 6 months (κ=0.51, P<0.001), epigastric pain (κ=0.69, P<0.001), early satiety (κ=0.40, P<0.001), and postprandial fullness (κ=0.34, P<0.001). The prevalence of FD was 8.3% (209/2,528); epigastric pain more than once a week 4.4%, early satiety 2.5%, and postprandial fullness 6.1%. FD was more prevalent in women (P=0.001). The prevalence of IBS was 6.1% and IBS also predominated in women (7.1% vs 5.1% in men, P=0.032).
The BDQ-K is a reliable and valid instrument for identifying FGIDs. The prevalence of FD according to the Rome III criteria was 8.3% and that of IBS was 6.1%.
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