The Role of Genetics in IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that has been shown to aggregate in families and to affect multiple generations, but not in a manner consistent with a major…
Traditional Thoughts on the Pathophysiology of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The pathogenesis of symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is multifactorial and varies from patient to patient. Disturbances of motor function in the small intestine and colon and smooth-muscle dysfunction…
The Effect of Irritable Bowel Syndrome on Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Care Expenditures
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent condition with a large health economic burden of illness marked by impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL), diminished work productivity, and high…
Epidemiology of IBS
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. Because not everyone needs to seek care, population-based studies are needed to truly understand the epidemiology of IBS. About…
Complementary and Alternative Medicine for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common chronic gastrointestinal disorder, characterized by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain and bloating. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a diverse group of medical…
Emerging Pharmacological Therapies for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a symptom-based disorder defined by the presence of abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. Clinical presentations of IBS are diverse, with some patients reporting…
Centrally Acting Therapies for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders typically defy traditional diagnostic methods based on structural abnormalities, and has led to the emergence of the discipline of neurogastroenterology…
Therapies Aimed at the Gut Microbiota and Inflammation: Antibiotics, Prebiotics, Probiotics, Synbiotics, Anti-inflammatory Therapies
Several recent observations have raised the possibility that disturbances in the gut microbiota and/or a low-grade inflammatory state may contribute to symptomatology and the etiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)….
Peripherally Acting Therapies for the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Gut-acting therapies are common therapies for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Most of these peripheral acting agents are primarily targeted at individual symptoms. The evidence supporting the use of these agents…
Food: The Forgotten Factor in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome
After years of inattention, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that dietary constituents at least exacerbate symptoms and perhaps contribute to the pathogenesis of the irritable bowel…
