Latest Research in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Closed)

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Collection Editor
Associate Professor of Gastroenterology, Gastroenterology and Hepatology Section, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Interests: colonic motility; constipation; irritable bowel syndrome; functional gastrointestinal disorders; diarrhea; infectious diarrhea; celiac disease; inflammatory bowel diseases

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a frequently encountered daily condition in clinical practice, yet we are still quite uninformed on many aspects—both pathophysiological and therapeutic—of this syndrome. The recent Rome criteria raised some controversial issues, and there are several pathophysiological studies exploring the possible basic mechanisms of this condition. Additionally, the pharmacological research is quite active in this field, and several new options are now available for IBS patients, in addition to those in the pipeline for the coming years. This Topical Collection aims to present the latest research in the IBS field, from physiological, pathophysiological, and therapeutic points of view, to provide recent insights into this fascinating entity.

Prof. Dr. Gabrio Bassotti
Collection Editor

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Keywords

  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Constipation-predominant IBS
  • Diarrhea-predominant IBS
  • Mixed/unspecified IBS
  • Pathophysiology: recent advances
  • Therapy: recent advances

Published Papers (8 papers)

2023

Jump to: 2022, 2021

13 pages, 1127 KiB  
Article
The Impact of a Twelve-Week Moderate Aerobic Exercise Program on Gastrointestinal Symptom Profile and Psychological Well-Being of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients: Preliminary Data from a Southern Italy Cohort
by Giuseppe Riezzo, Laura Prospero, Benedetta D’Attoma, Antonia Ignazzi, Antonella Bianco, Isabella Franco, Ritanna Curci, Angelo Campanella, Caterina Bonfiglio, Alberto Ruben Osella and Francesco Russo
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(16), 5359; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12165359 - 17 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1340
Abstract
Walking is popular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise that improves mental and gastrointestinal (GI) health. It can relieve symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), e.g., intestinal gas, abdominal distension, and bowel disturbances. This study examined the impact of a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program on [...] Read more.
Walking is popular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise that improves mental and gastrointestinal (GI) health. It can relieve symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), e.g., intestinal gas, abdominal distension, and bowel disturbances. This study examined the impact of a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program on the clinical and psychological parameters of IBS patients. In total, 40 IBS patients (11 males and 29 females; mean age 51.9 ± 7.8 years) participated in a 12-week aerobic exercise program. Participants completed questionnaires assessing GI symptoms, psychological profiles, and quality of life (QoL) before and after the intervention. Field tests, anthropometric measurements, and bioimpedance assessments were also conducted. The present findings confirmed a significant improvement in IBS symptoms after the aerobic exercise program. Bloating was the most common symptom and, together with abdominal pain, was significantly reduced after treatment. Psychological and QoL questionnaires indicated decreased anxiety, depression, somatization, and stress levels. Correlations were found between anxiety/depression and the severity of abdominal pain as well as between stress and the severity of abdominal distension. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise positively impacted GI symptoms and psychological well-being, complementing dietary and psychological support as a non-pharmacological therapy for the management of IBS. These findings emphasize the importance of alternative approaches for IBS treatment. Full article
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14 pages, 946 KiB  
Article
The Causal Association of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Multiple Disease Outcomes: A Phenome-Wide Mendelian Randomization Study
by Chunyang Li, Yilong Chen, Yi Chen, Zhiye Ying, Yao Hu, Yalan Kuang, Huazhen Yang, Huan Song and Xiaoxi Zeng
J. Clin. Med. 2023, 12(3), 1106; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12031106 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2372
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to identify novel associations between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and a broad range of outcomes. Methods: In total, 346,352 white participants in the U.K. Biobank were randomly divided into two halves, in which a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of [...] Read more.
Background: This study aimed to identify novel associations between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and a broad range of outcomes. Methods: In total, 346,352 white participants in the U.K. Biobank were randomly divided into two halves, in which a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of IBS and a polygenic risk score (PRS) analysis of IBS using GWAS summary statistics were conducted, respectively. A phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) based on the PRS of IBS was performed to identify disease outcomes associated with IBS. Then, the causalities of these associations were tested by both one-sample (individual-level data in U.K. Biobank) and two-sample (publicly available summary statistics) Mendelian randomization (MR). Sex-stratified PheWAS-MR analyses were performed in male and female, separately. Results: Our PheWAS identified five diseases associated with genetically predicted IBS. Conventional MR confirmed these causal associations between IBS and depression (OR: 1.07, 95%CI: 1.01–1.14, p = 0.02), diverticular diseases of the intestine (OR: 1.13, 95%CI: 1.08–1.19, p = 3.00 × 10−6), gastro-esophageal reflux disease (OR: 1.09, 95%CI: 1.05–1.13, p = 3.72 × 10−5), dyspepsia (OR: 1.21, 95%CI: 1.13–1.30, p = 9.28 × 10−8), and diaphragmatic hernia (OR: 1.10, 95%CI: 1.05–1.15, p = 2.75 × 10−5). The causality of these associations was observed in female only, but not men. Conclusions: Increased risks of IBS is found to cause a series of disease outcomes. Our findings support further investigation on the clinical relevance of increased IBS risks with mental and digestive disorders. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2023, 2021

4 pages, 176 KiB  
Editorial
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Multifaceted World Still to Discover
by Gabrio Bassotti
J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11(14), 4103; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11144103 - 15 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1297
Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is considered the prototype of disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI), and it is defined, according to Rome IV criteria, by the presence of abdominal pain or discomfort associated with bowel movements or changes in bowel habits with features of [...] Read more.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is considered the prototype of disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI), and it is defined, according to Rome IV criteria, by the presence of abdominal pain or discomfort associated with bowel movements or changes in bowel habits with features of abnormal defecation [...] Full article
9 pages, 547 KiB  
Article
Translational Gap between Guidelines and Clinical Medicine: The Viewpoint of Italian General Practitioners in the Management of IBS
by Massimo Bellini, Cesare Tosetti, Francesco Rettura, Riccardo Morganti, Christian Lambiase, Gabrio Bassotti, Pierfrancesco Visaggi, Andrea Pancetti, Edoardo Benedetto, Nicola de Bortoli, Paolo Usai-Satta and Rudi De Bastiani
J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11(13), 3861; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11133861 - 03 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1644
Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) guidelines are generally developed by experts, with the possibility of a translational gap in clinical medicine. The aim of our study was to assess an Italian group of general practitioners (GPs) for their awareness and use of criteria for [...] Read more.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) guidelines are generally developed by experts, with the possibility of a translational gap in clinical medicine. The aim of our study was to assess an Italian group of general practitioners (GPs) for their awareness and use of criteria for the diagnosis and management of IBS. For this purpose, a survey was carried out involving 235 GPs, divided into two groups according to their years of activity: 65 “junior general practitioners” (JGPs) (≤10 years) and 170 “senior general practitioners” (SGPs) (>10 years). JGPs were more familiar with the Rome IV Criteria and Bristol Scale than SGPs. Abdominal pain, bowel movement frequency and bloating were the symptoms most frequently used to make a diagnosis. The most probable causes of IBS were reported to be abnormal gastrointestinal motility and psychological triggers. SGPs reported more frequently than JGPs that challenging management and patient’s request were motivations for a gastroenterological consultation. The practice of clinical medicine is still far from the guidelines provided by the specialists. Abdominal pain related to defecation and changes in bowel frequency are considered to be the more important symptoms for IBS diagnosis, but most GPs, both JGPs and SGPs, like to consider abdominal bloating as another useful symptom. Involving both gastroenterologists and GPs in developing shared guidelines would be highly desirable in order to improve IBS management strategies in everyday clinical practice. Full article
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8 pages, 439 KiB  
Article
Association among Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI) and Fibromyalgia: A Prospective Study
by Carmela Settembre, Elvira D’Antonio, Paolo Moscato, Gabriella Loi, Antonella Santonicola and Paola Iovino
J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11(3), 809; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11030809 - 03 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2395
Abstract
The disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI) have been associated with Fibromyalgia (FM). However, there are no data about the relationship between FM and DGBI using Rome IV criteria. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of FM in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome [...] Read more.
The disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI) have been associated with Fibromyalgia (FM). However, there are no data about the relationship between FM and DGBI using Rome IV criteria. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of FM in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and/or Functional Dyspepsia (FD) and the prevalence of IBS and FD in FM patients using Rome IV criteria. DGBI patients and FM patients were recruited from two outpatient clinics devoted to DGBI and FM. All patients underwent a standardized gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms questionnaire. FM symptoms in DGBI patients were assessed through Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST) and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. Thereafter, the rheumatologists evaluated them. 49.0% of FM patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for IBS, 81.6% for FD with an overlap for both IBS/FD in 44.9%. IBS-C was the most prevalent IBS-subtype in DGBI patients, whereas IBS-M was the most prevalent in FM patients (p = 0.01). 45.3% of DGBI patients reported pathological FiRST scores. DGBI patients with FM showed the highest score at the standardized GI questionnaire followed by FM patients with DGBI and DGBI without FM. In conclusion DGBI are common in FM patients and vice versa. The presence of FD is extremely frequent in FM patients. A multidisciplinary approach should be routinely used for the management of these patients. Full article
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2021

Jump to: 2023, 2022

10 pages, 1320 KiB  
Article
Incidence of Cancer in Patients with Irritable Bowl Syndrome
by Sven H. Loosen, Markus S. Jördens, Mark Luedde, Dominik P. Modest, Simon Labuhn, Tom Luedde, Karel Kostev and Christoph Roderburg
J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(24), 5911; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10245911 - 16 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2191
Abstract
(1) Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) represents one of the most common disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI). As recent data has suggested an increased cancer incidence for IBS patients, there is an ongoing debate whether IBS might be associated with a risk of [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) represents one of the most common disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI). As recent data has suggested an increased cancer incidence for IBS patients, there is an ongoing debate whether IBS might be associated with a risk of cancer development. In the present study, we evaluated and compared incidence rates of different malignancies including gastrointestinal cancer in a large cohort of outpatients, with or without IBS, treated in general practices in Germany. (2) Methods: We matched a cohort of 21,731 IBS patients from the IQVIA Disease Analyzer database documented between 2000 and 2019 in 1284 general practices to a cohort of equal size without IBS. Incidence of cancer diagnoses were evaluated using Cox regression models during a 10-year follow-up period. (3) Results: In 11.9% of patients with IBS compared to 8.0% without IBS, cancer of any type was diagnosed within 10 years following the index date (p < 0.001). In a regression analysis, this association was confirmed in female (HR: 1.68, p < 0.001) and male (HR = 1.57, p < 0.001) patients as well as in patients of all age groups. In terms of cancer entity, 1.9% of patients with and 1.3% of patients without IBS were newly diagnosed with cancer of digestive organs (p < 0.001). Among non-digestive cancer entities, the strongest association was observed for skin cancer (HR = 1.87, p < 0.001), followed by prostate cancer in men (HR = 1.81, p < 0.001) and breast cancer in female patients (HR = 1.80, p < 0.001). (4) Conclusion: Our data suggest that IBS might be associated with cancer of the digestive organs as well as with non-digestive cancer entities. However, our findings do not prove causality and further research is warranted as the association could be attributed to life style factors that were not documented in the database. Full article
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19 pages, 3864 KiB  
Review
The Effect of Probiotics on Quality of Life, Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Charlotte Le Morvan de Sequeira, Marie Kaeber, Sila Elif Cekin, Paul Enck and Isabelle Mack
J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(16), 3497; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10163497 - 08 Aug 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4411
Abstract
Background: Functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) report clinical improvement following probiotic therapy, but whether psychiatric comorbidity and quality-of-life in IBS improves directly or in directly is unknown. This meta-analysis synthesized the evidence regarding the effects of probiotics on quality [...] Read more.
Background: Functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) report clinical improvement following probiotic therapy, but whether psychiatric comorbidity and quality-of-life in IBS improves directly or in directly is unknown. This meta-analysis synthesized the evidence regarding the effects of probiotics on quality of life (QoL), anxiety and depression in IBS. Methods: The review was executed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines using the databases PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. For QoL, the data were meta-analyzed, and for anxiety and depression a qualitative analysis was performed. Results: Thirty-five placebo-controlled studies were included of which 11 were eligible for meta-analysis. QoL improved with probiotic and placebo similarly, with the probiotic interventions slightly superior (mean QoL difference—0.36 (95% CI: 0.07, 0.64); p = 0.01). Anxiety and depression were similar between placebo and probiotic groups following therapy. Conclusion: For IBS, probiotic therapy improved QoL, but had no effects on anxiety and depression. However, the applied probiotics were not developed for selective effects on psyche and the brain. Therefore, it remains to be shown whether or not patients with IBS would benefit from second generation probiotics developed for these central effects (psychobiotics). Full article
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13 pages, 2200 KiB  
Article
The Risk of Osteoporosis and Osteoporotic Fracture Following the Use of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Medical Treatment: An Analysis Using the OMOP CDM Database
by Gyu Lee Kim, Yu Hyeon Yi, Hye Rim Hwang, Jinmi Kim, Youngmin Park, Yun Jin Kim, Jeong Gyu Lee, Young Jin Tak, Seung Hun Lee, Sang Yeoup Lee, Youn Hye Cho, Eun Ju Park and Youngin Lee
J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(9), 2044; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10092044 - 10 May 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3398
Abstract
Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are at increased risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture. This study investigated whether IBS medication attenuated the rate of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture risk. We conducted a retrospective large-scale multicenter study across eight hospital databases encoded in [...] Read more.
Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are at increased risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture. This study investigated whether IBS medication attenuated the rate of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture risk. We conducted a retrospective large-scale multicenter study across eight hospital databases encoded in the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) Common Data Model (CDM). The primary outcome was the incidence of osteoporosis, whereas secondary outcomes were osteoporotic fractures. After 1:4 matching, 24,723 IBS patients, 78,318 non-IBS patients, 427,640 non-IBS patients with IBS medication, and 827,954 non-IBS patients without IBS medication were selected. The risk of osteoporosis was significantly increased in the IBS group compared to the non-IBS group (hazard ratio (HR) 1.33; confidence interval (CI) 1.17~1.51). Even in patients who were not diagnosed with IBS, the risk of osteoporosis was significantly increased in those with IBS medication compared to those without (HR 1.77, CI 1.62~1.93). The risk of osteoporotic fracture was significantly increased in the IBS medication group (HR 1.69, CI 1.55~1.84). Patients exposed to IBS treatment even without IBS diagnosis were at increased risk of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture. Early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis should be considered in patients who have received medication for IBS symptoms. Full article
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