The irritable bowel syndrome, single sex representation and birth order

Abstract

SummarySingle sex representation and birth order in 100 patients with the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were determined and compared with those of 100 age and sex matched controls. Single sex members, in families with three or more children, were significantly more frequent in IBS. There was a trend for more IBS sufferers to be at the extremes of sibling constellation, particularly the youngest, but this did not reach statistical significance. These findings have not been previously reported.