HVN COMFORT Metadata Record - The Christchurch IBS cOhort to investigate Mechanisms FOr gut Relief and improved Transit (COMFORT)

This metadata record and it's attached files make statements about the kinds of data collected as part of this research, and set out policies for governance of that data, now and in the future.<b>Description</b>: This cross-sectional observational case-control study was initiated in July 2016 with the aim of increasing an understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional diarrhoea (FD), and functional constipation (FC). Specific areas of interest include the effect of food, microbiome, host and microbial genetics, metabolome, and psychological variables on unexplained chronic gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms.Demographic, symptom, psychological, dietary, and health data were collected from 349 enrolled participants in addition to biological samples (breath, faeces, blood and urine). Colonic biopsies were taken at the time of colonoscopy from participants in the colonoscopy subgroup (n=220).