#IBSDilemma campaign aims to ‘break silence, challenge stigma’ during IBS Awareness Month
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During Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month, an advocacy group launched the #IBSDilemma campaign to focus on the unique challenges that individuals living with this common gastrointestinal disorder may encounter in daily life.
The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) has launched the social media campaign with the hashtag, #IBSDilemma, to shed light on the difficulties that individuals with IBS may face and confront the long-held stigma surrounding IBS.
“Simple activities such as dining out with friends, attending social events, or traveling can become sources of stress and anxiety, as uncertainty looms over how their bodies will react,” Ceciel T. Rooker, president of the IFFGD, said in a related press release. “Together, we can break the silence, challenge stigma and create a world where individuals with IBS feel seen, heard and supported.”
IFFGD invites patients and clinicians to participate in the campaign by using the hashtags #IBSAwarenessMonth and #IBSDilemma on social media to raise awareness, understanding and compassion for those with IBS. Further, they can share information from the IFFGD IBS Awareness Month Media Toolkit
In recognition of IBS Awareness Month, Healio recaps its latest news and research on IBS, including updates on therapies and treatments.
VIDEO: ‘Dietary interventions,’ behavioral therapy pivotal to address rising tide of IBS
In a Healio video exclusive, Edward V. Loftus Jr., MD, urged gastroenterologists to prioritize identifying food triggers and recommending dietary interventions and behavioral therapy for patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
The United States has seen a rise in the prevalence of Rome IV irritable bowel syndrome — including its three subtypes, IBS with constipation (IBS-C), IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) and IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M) — with estimates climbing as high as 6.1% in 2023, surpassing previous reports of 4.7% to 5.3%. Watch here.
Providing hope for IBS patients ‘is sometimes the greatest medication’
Treating patients with irritable bowel syndrome can be a challenge for health care providers, as patients with suspected IBS often report a lengthy list of visceral and somatic symptoms that can overwhelm a busy provider.
Diagnostically, no test exists to confirm the diagnosis of IBS, which makes some health care providers uncomfortable making the diagnosis. Plus, no validated treatment algorithm exists. Read more.
Keys to IBS care: Understanding medical options, where they ‘might be most effective’
Results from a 2023 nationwide survey published in Gastroenterology estimated the prevalence of Rome IV irritable bowel syndrome in the U.S. climbing to 6.1% — higher than previous reports of 4.7% to 5.3%.
On a global scale, the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders estimates IBS affects 10% to 15% of the population, making it the most prevalent disorder of gut-brain interaction. Read more.
Healthy lifestyle behaviors associated with up to 42% lower risk for IBS
Adhering to a higher number of healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as not smoking, staying physically active and getting optimal sleep, was significantly associated with lower incidence of irritable bowel syndrome, according to data in Gut.
“Finding a primary prevention strategy for IBS is essential for reducing its disease burden,” Fai Fai Ho, of the School of Chinese Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and colleagues wrote. “In previous studies, some modifiable lifestyle factors, including smoking, sleeping, physical activity, diet and alcohol consumption, were found to be independently associated with IBS. It can be hypothesized that the combination of these healthy lifestyle behaviors might also protect against the occurrence of IBS.” Read more.
ChatGPT ‘generally accurate’ in answering questions, providing references on IBS
ChatGPT 4.0 had an overall accuracy of 80% in its answers to questions about irritable bowel syndrome, although the chatbot still missed some details or provided outdated information, according to research.
“The use of ChatGPT is likely to increase,” Anthony Lembo, MD, study author and director of research at Cleveland Clinic’s Digestive Disease Institute, told Healio. “Patients and clinicians should be aware of the accuracy of information they are receiving.” Read more.
Low-dose amitriptyline superior as second-line therapy for IBS vs. placebo
Titrated low-dose amitriptyline demonstrated effectiveness and tolerability as a second-line therapy for irritable bowel syndrome in primary care compared with placebo, a randomized study in the United Kingdom showed.
According to Alexander C. Ford, MD, a professor of gastroenterology at the University of Leeds, and colleagues, prior studies have suggested tricyclic antidepressants may offer benefits to patients with IBS, “possibly via their pain-modifying properties and actions on gastrointestinal motility.” Read more.
App-based digital therapeutic may ‘close a gap in health care’ for treating IBS
An app-based digital therapeutic was “largely effective” in reducing symptoms and improving quality of life, work productivity and health literacy among patients with irritable bowel syndrome, according to late-breaking data from UEG Week.
“Treatment of IBS comprises a multidisciplinary approach that is tailored to an individual patient and it includes medication, patient education, dietary therapy and also psychotherapy, and it’s often also a combination of those measures,” L.M. Weier, of HiDoc Technologies GmbH, said. “However, currently, most IBS patients do not receive adequate treatment due to limited availability. Digital therapeutics might help to close that gap by providing guided health help, especially for chronic conditions such as IBS.” Read more.
Low-FODMAP diet for IBS ‘not intuitive,’ must be taught by a GI dietitian
Irritable bowel syndrome is a dysfunction in the communication pathway between the gut and the brain, which contributes to symptoms such as gas, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation and mixed bowel habits.
It is a functional disorder, which means there is no change to the structure of the digestive tract — no ulcers, strictures or blockages — but instead, a change in how the gut functions. Read more.
Gut-directed hypnotherapy improves abdominal pain, stool consistency in IBS
Digital gut-directed hypnotherapy resulted in greater improvement in abdominal pain and stool symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome compared with digital muscle relaxation, according to research.
“This study demonstrates that an FDA-approved, digital therapeutic that delivers gut-directed hypnotherapy improved abdominal pain and bowel habits in around a third [of patients] and provided adequate relief of GI symptoms in nearly two-thirds of IBS patients,” William D. Chey, MD, AGAF, FACG, FACP, RFF, H. Marvin Pollard Professor of Gastroenterology and chief of the division of gastroenterology at Michigan Medicine, told Healio. “GDH delivered by the mobile app led to improvements that were similar to muscle relaxation delivered by a mobile app.” Read more.
Q&A: Survey results highlight need for awareness, open communication about IBS
More than half of the respondents in Salix Pharmaceutical’s annual patient perspective survey reported waiting at least a year before mentioning their irritable bowel syndrome symptoms to a health care provider.
According to a company press release, 43% of respondents were unaware that IBS is a chronic condition, 43% assumed their symptoms would resolve with dietary modification and 39% thought they would get resolution with over-the-counter medications. Read more.
References:
- IFFGD. IBS Awareness Month Media Toolkit. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/kfj0ntth3qto53cl76syg/h?preview=IBS+Awareness+Month+2024+Media+Toolkit.pdf&rlkey=srer4l2dhqnmcxltaygwjiwd8&dl=0. Accessed March 25, 2024.
- PR Newswire. 2024 IBS Awareness Month: The IBS Dilemma. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2024-ibs-awareness-month-the-ibs-dilemma-302082213.html. Accessed March 25, 2024.
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