Table 2.
Gastrointestinal symptoms in MS patients compared with controls.
| Control | MS | P value (Fisher's exact test) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 45 | 45 | |
| M : F | 12 : 33 | 12 : 33 | |
| Symptoms | |||
| Abdominal pain | 13 | 24 | 0.0315∗ |
| Diarrhoea | 4 | 9 | 0.2297 |
| Constipation | 8 | 16 | 0.0941 |
| Medicines | |||
| Antisecretory/antacids | 9 | 11 | 0.8004 |
| Laxatives | 6 | 12 | 0.1868 |
| Oesophageal disorders | |||
| Functional chest pain | 0 | 2 | 0.4944 |
| Functional heartburn | 5 | 9 | 0.3837 |
| Globus | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Functional dysphagia | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Gastroduodenal disorders | |||
| Functional dyspepsia | 3 | 8 | 0.1966 |
| Belching disorders | 2 | 3 | 0.6766 |
| Nausea and vomiting disorders | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Rumination syndrome | 0 | 1 | — |
| Bowel disorders | |||
| Irritable bowel syndrome | 3 | 6 | 0.7136 |
| Functional constipation | 5 | 9 | 0.3837 |
| Functional diarrhoea | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Functional abdominal bloating/distension | 3 | 9 | 0.1184 |
| Unspecified functional bowel disorder | 10 | 23 | 0.1760 |
| Centrally mediated abdominal pain syndrome | 1 | 2 | 0.6164 |
| Functional biliary pain | 0 | 0 | |
| Anorectal disorders | |||
| Faecal incontinence | 0 | 1 | |
| Functional anorectal pain | 1 | 2 | 1 |
∗ P < 0.05; ∗∗P < 0.01; ∗∗∗P < 0.001.