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The relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to the etiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are uncertain.
To determine the risk for IBS in relatives of patients with IBS, researchers conducted a case-control study using linked data from multiple population-based databases in Sweden. Using diagnostic data from a hospital registry and an outpatient registry, they identified 52,000 patients diagnosed with IBS between 1987 and 2010 (cases). The risk for IBS in relatives of cases was compared with the risk in relatives of individuals unaffected by IBS (controls), who were matched to cases based on year of birth, residency in Sweden, and other demographic factors (controls).
The odds ratios for IBS were as follows: 1.75 in si…