Introduction
sleep disorders, abdominal pain, IBS, multifactorial disorder, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders
DISEASE, IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the world's most common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. The estimated prevalence of this disease is 11.2% globally and varies based on the country, age, gender, and diagnostic criteria. It significantly affects patients' quality of life and social activities, and its main symptoms are abdominal pain, changes in stool consistency, and defecation frequency [The etiology and pathophysiology of IBS are not fully understood, and it is considered a multifactorial disorder [Previous trials have limitations such as small numbers of participants, gender limitations, and not using the latest IBS diagnostic criteria. Therefore, according to the limitations of previous studies and the high prevalence of this disease, this trial aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of melatonin on IBS score, GI symptoms, quality of life, and sleep parameters in IBS patients both with and without sleep disorders.