The American journal of gastroenterology
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The objectives of this study were to determine whether the symptoms of diarrhea (defined as loose or watery stools), constipation (hard or lumpy stools), abdominal pain, and bloating occur in episodes rather than sporadically in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); to identify rules for defining the onset and termination of symptom episodes; and to assess the overlap of these episodes. ⋯ Loose/watery stools and hard/lumpy stools occur in well-defined episodes. Pain and bloating also occur in episodes, but contrary to the Rome criteria more than half of the pain episodes occur outside episodes of abnormal stool consistency.