Irritable Bowel Syndrome News

Researchers have identified a set of 16 volatile organic compounds in the breath that together may serve as biomarkers with potential utility in the diagnosis and monitoring of irritable bowel syndrome.

WASHINGTON — John I. Allen, MD, MBA, clinical chief of digestive diseases at Yale University School of Medicine, highlighted six recently published studies for an update of gastroenterology and hepatology here at the annual American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Meeting.

Although a third of patients with microscopic colitis experienced symptoms that overlap with irritable bowel syndrome, researchers did not observe increased prevalence of microscopic colitis among irritable bowel syndrome patients vs. other patients with diarrhea undergoing colonoscopy, according to the results of a meta-analysis.

Ibodutant, a selective neurokinin-2 receptor antagonist, significantly improved overall symptoms, abdominal pain and stool pattern in women with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, according to phase 2 trial results.

Migraine was a risk factor for future development of irritable bowel syndrome in patients who do not have comorbid mood disorders, but not in patients with comorbid mood disorders, according to data presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

The American Gastroenterological Association has announced that a new analysis of data from its IBS in America survey reveals new information about the physical and emotional experiences of patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

April is Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month, first designated by the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in 1997.

Psychosocial morbidities are linked to higher levels of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome, and specifically, depression and somatization are linked to increased postprandial symptoms, according to recent research.

Interest in dietary interventions for irritable bowel syndrome has seen a recent revival, prompted by randomized controlled trial data suggesting elimination diets — namely, the gluten-free diet and the low fermentable oligo, disaccharides, monosaccharaides, and polyols, or low FODMAPs, diet — may be effective for treating patients. Emerging data on the potential efficacy of probiotics in IBS have also sparked increasing interest as the role of the gut microbiome in GI disorders becomes better understood.

A revitalized interest in dietary therapies for irritable bowel syndrome is marked by accumulating data presented in the journals and at leading scientific meetings in recent years, much of which is promising, according to experts interviewed by Healio Gastroenterology.