11.   There are three stages of iron deficiency.

12.   The first and most common is having low iron reserves, a condition that typically has no symptoms.

13.   Twenty two had severe lifelong constipation and eight had symptoms suggesting a motility disorder exclusively of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

14.   Patients with active colitis had clinical symptoms of urgency, loose stools, abdominal pain, and blood in the stool.

15.   Ten patients had symptoms attributable to both the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract and five had lesions in one site on investigation.

16.   Twenty three patients also had symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux and nine had an irritable bowel.

17.   Patients with persistent pain after gastric surgery often had several symptoms.

18.   Clinical details of the patients are given in Table I.

19.   All had severe symptoms of intestinal pseudoobstruction, including episodic vominting, abdominal distension, and intolerance of food.