©The Author(s) 2016. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 21, 2016; 22(47): 10450-10460
Published online Dec 21, 2016. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i47.10450
Published online Dec 21, 2016. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i47.10450
Economic burden of irritable bowel syndrome in China
Fang Zhang, Wei Xiang, College of Business Administration, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, Liaoning Province, China
Chun-Yan Li, Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116011, Liaoning Province, China
Shu-Chuen Li, Discipline of Pharmacy and Experimental Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
Author contributions: Li SC designed the study; Zhang F, Xiang W and Li CY performed the research; Xiang W analyzed the data; Zhang F and Xiang W wrote the paper; and Li SC revised the manuscript for final submission.
Institutional review board statement: Approval was taken from Institutional Review Board, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University Medical Ethics Committee, No. LCKY2014-31.
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided informed written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflict of interest to report.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Correspondence to: Shu-Chuen Li, PhD, Professor, Discipline of Pharmacy and Experimental Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. shuchuen.li@newcastle.edu.au
Telephone: +61-2-49215921 Fax: +61-2-49215921
Received: July 28, 2016
Peer-review started: August 2, 2016
First decision: October 10, 2016
Revised: November 1, 2016
Accepted: November 28, 2016
Article in press: November 28, 2016
Published online: December 21, 2016
Processing time: 144 Days and 5.4 Hours
Peer-review started: August 2, 2016
First decision: October 10, 2016
Revised: November 1, 2016
Accepted: November 28, 2016
Article in press: November 28, 2016
Published online: December 21, 2016
Processing time: 144 Days and 5.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: This study was the first article to evaluate the costs of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in China, including all costs associated with care of patients with IBS, and allowed a more reliable estimation of true costs. In addition, unlike other published studies, this study also analyzed the costs of patients with four IBS subtypes, finding a difference in indirect costs among IBS subtypes. This would provide a benchmark for other researchers engaged in studying IBS.