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IBS Awareness Month: 10 recent advances in research, diagnostics
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April is IBS Awareness Month. First designated by the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in 1997, this initiative aims to raise awareness of the 10% to 15% of Americans who experience the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, an “often misunderstood and stigmatized condition,” according to the IFFGD.
To contribute to this effort, the editors of Healio Gastroenterology and Liver Disease have compiled a roundup of 10 recent news articles highlighting the latest research and regulatory developments in IBS.
1. IBS linked to genetic variant found only in women
In a genome-wide association study, investigators linked IBS to certain DNA variants found only in women, which researchers said could explain why the condition is less common in men. Read more
2. Vitamin D supplements may ease IBS symptoms
Vitamin D could be effective in treating the painful symptoms associated with IBS, according to a study published in The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Read more
3. New blood test distinguishes between IBD, IBS
Analyte Health announced that it now offers a new test to help health care providers determine if a patient has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or IBS. The IsolateIBS-IBD test uses RNA expression analysis to determine the correct diagnosis with 90% accuracy, according to a press release. Read more
4. FDA approves Trulance for IBS-C
In January, Synergy Pharmaceuticals announced the FDA approved Trulance for the treatment of constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) in adults. This is the second indication for Trulance (plecanatide), which the FDA first approved for chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in January 2017. Read more
5. Low FODMAP diet shows short-term efficacy, safety for IBS
Patients with IBS who adhered to a low fermentable, oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyol diet, known as the low FODMAPs diet, experienced improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life, according to a new meta-analysis published in Nutrition. Read more
6. Tenapanor shows favorable tolerability in IBS-C safety study
Tenapanor showed positive results in a safety extension study, which the manufacturer Ardelyx said will support a new drug application along with two successful phase 3 trials for IBS-C. Read more
7. Self-administered cognitive behavior therapy improves IBS symptoms
Self-administered cognitive behavior therapy was significantly more effective than an education intervention, and comparable to more resource-intensive clinic-based cognitive behavior therapy for improving symptoms of IBS, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG 2017. Read more
8. Long-term cannabis use increases risk for IBS
Cannabis use increased the risk for IBS in the general population, according to a poster presented at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG 2017. Additionally, the effects may be worse among men, Caucasians and Hispanics. Read more
9. How to make ‘the conversation about poop’ easier for IBS patients
In this exclusive video, Jack Braha, DO, a practitioner at Brooklyn Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, discusses how physicians can make “the conversation about poop” easier for patients with IBS. Watch now
10. IBS-D tied to food poisoning, treated without relapse for 6 months
IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) found further definition this year with pinpointing causes and improved treatments, according to one expert at the World Congress of Gastroenterology at ACG 2017. Watch now