Poor self-rated health in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome but no increased 10-year cardiovascular risk: results from a Swedish population-based screening program

TL;DR

People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) report worse self-rated health but do not have higher cardiovascular risk over 10 years compared to others in a Swedish study.

Contribution

The study clarifies that IBS is not linked to increased cardiovascular risk, despite poorer self-rated health and some metabolic differences.

Findings

IBS individuals did not have increased 10-year cardiovascular risk after adjusting for confounders.

Women with IBS had higher waist-hip ratios and men had higher diastolic blood pressure.

Poor self-rated health was significantly more common in IBS individuals.

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been linked to poor health, high stress and diminished quality of life. Previous findings about associations between IBS and cardiovascular disease are, however, contradictory. Our objective was to examine 10-year cardiovascular risk, lifestyle factors, and self-rated health in people with IBS compared to a reference group.

Sweden's southernmost county (Scania) has implemented targeted health dialogues (THDs) in primary health care for all 40- and 50-year-olds. Before the THD, participants completed a questionnaire about their health and lifestyle. Cholesterol, blood glucose, BMI and waist-hip-ratio were measured. Participants were also invited to a research project. The present study used baseline variables from 2021 to 2024 to examine the 10-year risk of cardiovascular events according to SCORE2, four health behaviors (diet, physical activity, smoking and alcohol), and self-rated health in THD-participants with and without IBS. Analyses took into account sex, level of education and place of birth.

The study population comprised 8 899 (56.5%) THD participants of which 592 (6.7%) had a diagnosis of IBS. Participants with IBS did not show an increased 10-year cardiovascular risk after adjusting for confounders. However, men with IBS had higher mean diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.030), and women with IBS had higher mean waist-hip-ratio compared to the reference group (p = 0.013). There were no overall differences shown in physical activity, smoking, or diet between participants with/without IBS, but women with IBS consumed less alcohol (p = 0.026). Poor self-rated health was significantly more common in both women and men with IBS (p < 0.001).

IBS was not associated with an increased 10-year cardiovascular risk in this population, but further research is needed, preferably subtype-specific. THDs and similar interventions may provide opportunities to identify needs for healthcare support in people with IBS suffering from poor self-rated health.

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