Disability in Children and Adolescents With Irritable Bowel Syndrome and/or Fibromyalgia.

To compare disability and emotional health in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia, or both, patients completed the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal Symptoms-Rome III, childhood Functional Disability Inventory (FDI), and the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition. Patients' (age range 8-18 years, 19 IBS, 12 fibromyalgia, and 12 both) FDI scores showed greater disability than scores from historically healthy patients. Fibromyalgia (FDI 22.5 ± 12.7, P = 0.018) and patients with both (FDI 26.2 ± 13.8, P = 0.001) averaged greater disability than those with IBS (FDI 10.6 ± 7.9). Disability was correlated with anxiety and depression symptoms. Disability and psychological symptoms are important when evaluating individuals with fibromyalgia and IBS.