Are bowel symptoms and psychosocial features different in irritable bowel syndrome patients with abdominal discomfort compared to abdominal pain?

Table 3 Coexisting extraintestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome patients with abdominal pain alone, abdominal discomfort alone, and abdominal pain & discomfort

Variable	Pain group (n = 233)	Discomfort group (n = 83)	Pain & discomfort group (n = 51)	P value
GERD, %	60 (25.8)	14 (16.9)	10 (19.6)	0.20
Heartburn	35 (15.0)	6 (7.2)	6 (11.8)	0.18
Acid reflux	44 (18.9)	10 (12.1)	5 (9.8)	0.15
Food regurgitation	14 (6.0)	4 (4.8)	3 (5.9)	0.92
Retrosternal chest pain	10 (4.3)	3 (3.6)	2 (3.9)	0.96
Functional dyspepsia, %	86 (36.9)	23 (27.7)	18 (35.3)	0.32
Epigastric pain syndrome	49 (21.0)	6 (7.2)	7 (13.7)	0.012
Epigastric pain	43 (18.5)	5 (6.0)	7 (13.7)	0.022
Epigastric burning	12 (5.2)	2 (2.4)	3 (5.9)	0.54
Postprandial distress syndrome	64 (27.5)	22 (26.5)	15 (29.4)	0.94
Postprandial fullness	57 (24.5)	20 (24.1)	9 (17.7)	0.57
Early satiation	14 (6.0)	6 (7.2)	9 (17.7)	0.023
Somatic pain, %
Headache	17 (45.9)	37 (44.6)	26 (51.0)	0.76
Neck pain	21 (9.0)	7 (8.4)	3 (5.9)	0.77
Backache	41 (17.6)	8 (9.6)	7 (13.7)	0.21
Dyspareunia	12 (5.2)	6 (7.2)	11 (21.6)	< 0.0013,4
Menstrual pain1	30 (25.9)	10 (37.0)	11 (57.9)	0.0163

¹The number of female patients in the abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and pain & discomfort groups was 116, 27, and 19, respectively. χ² test. Data presented as number (%).

²P value is difference between the pain group and the discomfort group.

³The difference is between the pain group and the pain & discomfort group.

⁴The difference is between the discomfort group and the pain & discomfort group.

P value is the difference among the pain group, discomfort group, and pain & discomfort group, and superscript letters are significantly different at P < 0.05. GERD: Gastroesophageal reflux disease.