P0644 - Sex-Based Differences in Outpatients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome at a Large Safety Net Hospital

Jacqueline Liu, MD¹, Kathleen Cheng, MD¹, Howard J. Cabral, PhD², Horst C. Weber, MD^1
1Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA; ²Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA

Introduction: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent disorder of gut-brain interactions (DGBI) with significant negative impact on quality of life and health care expenditure. There is a female association, but a large knowledge gap exists regarding sex-based differences of IBS comorbidities and their distribution across racial groups. The aim of this study was to investigate sex-based differences in IBS patients from a large multiracial population in a large safety net hospital.

Methods: An electronic query of the data warehouse was performed using ICD-9 codes to enroll unique outpatients with IBS at Boston Medical Center (BMC) between January 1, 2005 and September 30, 2007. Comorbidities were determined using ICD-9 codes and demographic data was collected from the electronic medical records. Chi-square, Fischer’s exact, and two-tailed t-test were used for statistical calculations.

Results: A total of 740 IBS patients were enrolled, including 555 female (75%) and 185 male (25%) patients. Demographic data for race/ethnicity, marital status, children status, and insurance status did not differ between male and female IBS patients (Table). The smoking status of IBS patients differed with more former male smokers as compared to former female smokers (23% vs 14%). Significant disparities existed in educational level with a higher proportion of male patients having graduate degrees compared to female patients (59% vs 47%). More male IBS patients (37%) were in a fulltime employment compared to female IBS patients (26%). There was a significant association of female sex with depression (29% vs 19%, p=0.008) and anxiety (24% vs 17%, p=0.033). Furthermore, anxiety was significantly more prevalent in White female patients compared to non-White female patients (75% vs 25%; p=0.017). No sex-based differences of comorbidities were present in patients from different racial groups including anorexia and bulimia and gastrointestinal disorders such as GERD, NUD, diverticulosis, constipation, and PUD.

Discussion: This study demonstrated highly significant sex-based and racial differences for depression and anxiety in IBS patients at a racially diverse safety net hospital. These findings may be attributed to differences in hormonal variation and neuroplasticity between male and female patients and disparities in healthcare utilization. Our data supports that anxio-depressive symptoms in female IBS patients might increase IBS severity and should be targeted for improved clinical management.


Disclosures:


Jacqueline Liu, MD¹, Kathleen Cheng, MD¹, Howard J. Cabral, PhD², Horst C. Weber, MD¹. P0644 - Sex-Based Differences in Outpatients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome at a Large Safety Net Hospital, ACG 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Gastroenterology.