Validation of the Intestinal Gas Questionnaire (IGQ)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
International Psychometric Validation study of the Intestinal Gas Questionnaire (IGQ)
IRAS ID
217375
Contact name
Peter Whorwell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital of South Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Gas-related symptoms (GRS) such as bloating, flatulence and belching are extremely common in not only patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but also in the general population. They have been shown to significantly impair quality of life, however, the threshold for someone to seek treatment is based on not only the severity and the impact of the symptoms but also their perception of what is normal.
There is currently no adequate questionnaire which can assess these symptoms as gastrointestinal questionnaires tend to focus on pain and bowel habits. Furthermore, few questionnaires have been developed to measure GRS in the general population, and no instrument exists that specifically assesses all GRS and their impact on everyday life.
There are a number of novel pharmacological agents and food interventions, such as probiotics, which may prove efficacious in relieving GRS. Consequently, a well-designed questionnaire which can capture the experience of symptoms related to gas would be extremely valuable in aiding the evaluation of potential treatments. Additionally, such a questionnaire may be of value in clinical practice when evaluating patients for GRS in a consistent manner.
The Intestinal Gas Questionnaire (IGQ) has been developed through qualitative research with subjects interviewed. To complete the validation of the IGQ and to develop a final version of the IGQ for use in clinical trials and clinical practice, it is necessary to perform a further validation study in order to ensure that scores derived from the questionnaire are reliable and valid. Additionally, this study will aim to validate an electronic version of the IGQ.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/NW/0004
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jan 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion