Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in Southeast Hungary: Impact of Rome III and Rome IV criteria

doi:10.3748/wjg.117254

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World Journal of Gastroenterology

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1007-9327

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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA

Observational Study

Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.

World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2026; 32(25): 117254
Published online Jul 7, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.117254

Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in Southeast Hungary: Impact of Rome III and Rome IV criteria

Georgina Ollé, Krisztina Helle, Orsolya Inczefi, Richard Róka, Martin Kovács, Marina Youssef, András Rosztóczy

Georgina Ollé, Krisztina Helle, Orsolya Inczefi, Richard Róka, Martin Kovács, Marina Youssef, András Rosztóczy, Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Gastroenterology, University of Szeged, Szeged 6725, Csongrád-Csanád, Hungary

Author contributions: Ollé G, Helle K and Rosztóczy A designed and performed the research study and wrote the manuscript; Inczefi O and Róka R took part in the investigation; Kovács M and Youseff M analyzed and collected the data; all authors have read and approve the final manuscript.

AI contribution statement: We used DeepL for translating. We sent the manuscript for language polishing to the official translation agency provided by University of Szeged, they sent us a language proof which I forwarded to the editorial office and I did the same with the polished manuscript. For data analysis or writing assistance we did not use AI.

Institutional review board statement: The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of University of Szeged.

Informed consent statement: All participants provided informed consent.

Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare no conflict of interest in publishing the manuscript.

STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement – checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement – checklist of items.

Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.

Corresponding author: Georgina Ollé, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Gastroenterology, University of Szeged, Kálvária Sgt.57, Szeged 6725, Csongrád-Csanád, Hungary. ginaolle1@gmail.com

Received: December 3, 2025
Revised: January 27, 2026
Accepted: April 8, 2026
Published online: July 7, 2026
Processing time: 210 Days and 5 Hours

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder, posing a substantial burden on healthcare systems and significantly impairing the quality of life. Despite its clinical relevance, no population-based data on IBS prevalence have been available from Hungary.

AIM

To investigate the prevalence of IBS in Southeast Hungary using Rome III and IV criteria in voluntary blood donors and patients with psychiatric disorders.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among voluntary blood donors and outpatients with psychiatric disorders. Participants completed validated questionnaires based on Rome III and IV criteria. A single instrument was employed. Demographic data, psychiatric comorbidities, and the presence of chronic somatic diseases were also documented. Statistical analyses compared prevalence estimates across diagnostic frameworks and populations.

RESULTS

Applying the Rome III criteria led to a substantially higher IBS prevalence than when applying Rome IV. Among blood donors, prevalence decreased from 7.6% (Rome III) to 0.7% (Rome IV), whereas among patients with psychiatric disorders, it decreased from 15.4% to 5.0%. Patients with psychiatric disorders consistently demonstrated higher prevalence rates than blood donors, with a marked female predominance. The presence of chronic diseases did not significantly affect IBS prevalence; however, a trend toward higher rates was observed, suggesting that comorbidities can be more strongly associated with upper gastrointestinal hypomotility than with IBS itself.

CONCLUSION

The choice of diagnostic criteria influences IBS prevalence and affects high- and low-risk populations differently. These insights underscore the significance of integrated multidisciplinary approaches to functional gastrointestinal disorders.

Keywords: Irritable bowel syndrome; Rome criteria; Prevalence; Psychiatric comorbidity; Functional gastrointestinal disorders; Hungary

Core Tip: This study reveals how diagnostic criteria and population context significantly influence irritable bowel syndrome prevalence estimates. The Rome IV criteria yield lower rates than Rome III, and psychiatric comorbidity significantly increases disease burden. Although chronic illnesses demonstrate limited impact, trends suggest a role for gut-brain axis dysregulation. These findings emphasize the significance of integrated care and nuanced epidemiological approaches to functional gastrointestinal disorders.