SynthesisFrontiers in medicine2026
Map the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome across China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders worldwide. However, its prevalence varies substantially across countries and regions, reflecting heterogeneity in diagnostic approaches, study populations, and cultural factors. In China, which has the world's largest population, the true burden of IBS remains uncertain. A comprehensive synthesis of prevalence estimates is needed to inform public health strategies and clinical care. Methods: We systematically searched Chinese and international databases from inception to August 2025 to identify observational studies reporting IBS prevalence in Chinese populations. Eligible studies were assessed for quality and extracted independently by two reviewers. Random-effects meta-analyses using logit transformation and random-intercept logistic regression models were applied. Subgroup analyses by sex, age group, and IBS subtype were performed. Heterogeneity was quantified using the Results: A total of 65 studies (37 in Chinese and 28 in English) involving 197,764 participants and 23,341 IBS cases were included. Studies covered 23 provinces, with a concentration in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hubei, while no prevalence data were available for several regions including Hunan, Tianjin, Qinghai, and Xinjiang. The pooled prevalence of IBS in China was 11.0% (95% CI 9.0-13.4), with substantial heterogeneity ( Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis reveals that IBS affects approximately 1 in 10 Chinese adults, with considerable variation across regions and subgroups. The findings highlight the need for nationally representative studies, standardized diagnostic criteria, and targeted health policies to address the burden of IBS in China.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.