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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2026; 32(25): 117254
Published online Jul 7, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.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, 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
Revised: January 27, 2026
Accepted: April 8, 2026
Published online: July 7, 2026
Processing time: 210 Days and 5 Hours
Core Tip
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.