Prevalence and related factors of irritable bowel syndrome in women with chronic pelvic pain

João Nogueira Neto, Kamilly Ieda Silva Veigas, Lyvia Maria Rodrigues de Sousa Gomes, Leonardo Carvalho Silva, Júlio Cesar Rosa e Silva, PLÍNIO DA CUNHA LEAL
In: Clinics · 2026 · vol. 81 , pp. 100884 · doi:10.1016/j.clinsp.2026.100884 · PMID:41762529 · PMC12954290 · W7131632409
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-09 ⓘ

This study found that 53.15% of women with chronic pelvic pain also have irritable bowel syndrome, which was independently predicted by myofascial pain.

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Abstract

• Study found 53.15% prevalence of IBS in women with Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP). • No significant differences in sociodemographic factors between IBS and non-IBS patients. • IBS patients had higher rates of myofascial pain, neuropathic pain, and sensitization. • Multiple assessment tools were used, including the Rome IV criteria for IBS diagnosis. • Results highlight the link between IBS and chronic pelvic pain, necessitating better care. To evaluate the prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and its related sociodemographic, nociceptive, neuropathic, nociplastic, psychosocial, and systemic factors in patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP). This observational, prospective, and analytical study was conducted at a Pelvic Pain Outpatient Clinic between August 2021 and March 2022 with patients diagnosed with CPP. The following instruments were applied: IBS was diagnosed using the Rome IV criteria, the Questionnaire for Chronic Pelvic Pain Assessment (QCPPA) of the International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire (DN4), and the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI). In this study, 111 women with CPP were evaluated. The prevalence of IBS was 53.15%. Patients with IBS showed significantly higher frequencies of myofascial pain (p < 0.001), neuropathic pain (p = 0.026), and central sensitization (p = 0.010). Binary logistic regression identified myofascial pain (OR = 7.614; 95% CI: 2.12–22.88; p = 0.001) as an independent predictor of IBS, while infertility showed a protective association with IBS, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.209 (95% CI: 0.048–0.915; p = 0.038). Women with CPP have a high prevalence of IBS. In addition to the association with classic factors, this study also observed a significant association with neuropathic pain and pain centralization. A significant association with myofascial syndrome was observed, which appeared as a strong predictor of IBS in the adjusted model.

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chronic_pelvic_painirritable_bowel_syndromeinfertility

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References (27)

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