Irritable bowel syndrome: A concise review of current treatment concepts

Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang Decoction is more efficacious in treating irritable bowel syndrome than Dicetel according to metabolomics analysis

BACKGROUND

Chaihu-Guizhi-Ganjiang Decoction (CGGD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription used to treat viral influenza. There is evidence that CGGD can be used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but the potential mechanism of action and metabolites produced upon CGGD treatment remains elusive.

METHODS

Patients with IBS were treated with pinaverium bromide (Dicetel™) and then CGGD after a washout period of 1 week. Both treatments lasted for 30 days. The efficacy and changes of metabolites in plasma after the two treatments were compared. Plasma samples were acquired before and after each treatment, and untargeted metabolics analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Efficacy was measured according to the Rome IV criteria and TCM theory. Our results indicated that CGGD showed significantly better efficacy than Dicetel in the treatment of IBS utilizing each criterion. CGGD exerted greater effects on plasma metabolism than Dicetel. Dicetel treatment led to increased tryptophan metabolism (increased levels of 5-Hydroxyindoleacetaldehyde) and increased protein metabolism (increased levels of L-arginine). CGGD treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased carnitine metabolism, with elevated levels of L-carnitine and acylcarnitine in plasma. Such changes in these metabolites could exert effects against IBS by improving gastrointestinal motility and suppressing pain, depression, and inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

CGGD appeared to be more efficacious than Dicetel for treating patients with IBS. The findings provide a sound support for the underlying biomolecular mechanism of CGGD in the prevention and treatment of IBS.

Pre-Antibiotic Treatment Followed by Prolonged Repeated Faecal Microbiota Transplantation Improves Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome: An Observational Australian Clinical Experience

Background. The use of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has frequently failed to induce long-term symptomatic improvement. The use of multiple FMT infusions is one proposed mechanism through which the efficacy of FMT can be amplified. Aims. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel six-month FMT treatment protocol in IBS. Methods. Patients diagnosed with IBS confirmed by Rome IV Criteria were recruited for single-centre, single-arm, prospective clinical observational study. Participants received one colonoscopically delivered FMT followed by 36 rectal enemas across a six-month period. Validated abdominal symptoms and Short-Form (SF-36) Quality of Life (QOL) questionnaires were collected at baseline, week-12, week-24, and week-56, respectively. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests were conducted to compare differences in abdominal symptom and SF-36 QOL scores over the follow-up timepoints. Statistical significance was set at 5%. Results. Sixty participants diagnosed with IBS [IBS-constipation ( $n=27$ ), IBS-diarrhoea ( $n=18$ ), and IBS-mixed ( $n=15$ )] received the six-month FMT treatment. IBS symptom severity reduction was achieved in up to 61% of respondents at week-12, 64% of respondents at week-24, and maintained in up to 75% of respondents at week-52. Long-term reduction in symptom severity was associated with an increase in QOL, achieved in up to 64% of respondents at week-52 when compared to baseline. Adverse events were experienced in 28% of participants, though they were both transient and mild in nature. Conclusions. Six-month sustained FMT appears to be both safe and effective in the short- and long-term alleviation of IBS associated symptoms as well as improving participant QOL.

A Systematic Review on the Efficacy and Safety of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors in Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders: More Control, Less Risk

Gastrointestinal motility disorders have been thought to occur due to an imbalance in the interaction of the gut-brain axis, which is regulated by serotonin. This recent discovery can be exploited to find newer therapeutic agents such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for functional gastrointestinal disorders. PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), and Medline databases were used to obtain the data. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized control trials, and reviews were included and analyzed in the data. Of the 19240 studies, 23 were extracted, and after appropriate quality assessment, they were utilized in this systematic review. They included two meta-analyses, four systematic reviews, two randomized control trials, and 15 review articles. The systematic review focuses on the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as compared to other treatment modalities for disorders of gut-brain interaction. It explores various studies analyzing SSRIs for their mechanism of action, their desirable effects for treating irritable bowel syndrome, and their tolerability in patients. SSRIs are effective and safe in treating overall symptoms of gastrointestinal motility disorders, particularly constipation-predominant disorders. They seem to have a better side effect profile than other drugs. This should encourage physicians to prescribe SSRIs early on in the disease.

Comparison of fluoxetine and duloxetine hydrochloride therapeutic effects on patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome

Aim

As few randomized clinical trials have verified the efficacy of selective and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors in IBS, the current study made an inclusive comparison between them, and their effectiveness in IBS-C was proven.

Background

Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by changes in bowel movements and abdominal pain in the absence of identifiable structural abnormalities. Despite much progress in the treatment of other types of IBS, limited treatments are available for IBS-C.

Methods

The study population comprised 182 IBS-C patients who were randomly divided into 3 groups according to treatment type. One group was given 20 mg of dicyclomine and fluoxetine, the second group received dicyclomine along with duloxetine hydrochloride, and the third group received dicyclomine only for two months. The severity of symptoms was recorded by questionnaire at the beginning and end of the treatment.

Results

The average age and BMI of the patients were 28.5 ± 5.2 years and 25.2 ± 2.4 kg/m2, respectively. Duloxetine was more effective than fluoxetine in reducing flatulence (p=0.043), abdominal pain intensity (p≤0.046), and duration (p≤0.003), in increasing the quality of life (p≤0.046), and the frequency of fecal excretion in patients (p≤0.004).

Conclusion

Based on the study findings, fluoxetine and duloxetine had greater therapeutic effects on all symptoms of IBD than dicyclomine, with duloxetine, specifically, being more effective than fluoxetine. Further studies on larger groups are suggested to determine the best dosage and identify any potential side effects of these drugs.

Effect of probiotics and dietary fiber combined with pinaverium bromide on intestinal flora in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of probiotics and dietary fiber combined with pinaverium bromide in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its effect on intestinal flora.

METHODS

As a prospective study, 180 patients with IBS hospitalized in the gastroenterology department of our hospital from January 2018 to January 2021 were selected and assigned to Group A, Group B, or Group C using the random number table method, with 60 cases in each group. Patients in Group A received conventional treatment with pinaverium bromide tablets. Those in Group B were given bifid triple viable combined with pinaverium bromide, and those in Group C were given bifid triple viable and dietary fiber combined with pinaverium bromide. The treatment spanned 4 weeks. The treatment efficacy, degree of symptom improvement, quality of life, adverse effects, and changes in intestinal flora were compared among the three groups.

RESULTS

The total treatment efficacy was significantly higher in Group C compared with Group A (χ²=8.711, P=0.003), while it differed insignificantly between Group A and Group B (P>0.05). Groups B and C had a shorter resolution time of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and abdominal distension than Group A (P<0.05). Compared with Group B, Group C experienced a markedly shorter resolution time of abdominal pain (P<0.05). The IBS symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS) and IBS-quality of life (IBS-QOL) scores were the lowest in Group C, followed by Group B, and then Group A (P<0.05). Group A had a significantly higher E. coli count and lower Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus counts than Groups B and C (P<0.05). Adverse reactions were all within the tolerable range in the three groups, with no difference (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION

In patients with IBS, treatment with probiotics and dietary fiber combined with pinaverium bromide can significantly improve clinical efficacy, shorten symptom resolution time, reduce calprotectin, and regulate intestinal flora.

Bifidobacterium longum W11: Uniqueness and individual or combined clinical use in association with rifaximin

BACKGROUNDS & AIMS

Strains belonging to bifidobacteria have been documented as being helpful in adults with intestinal dysbiosis conditions, like those related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This review aims to present the most relevant evidence regarding the efficacy of Bifidobacterium longum W11, a Bifidobacterium used in clinical settings for conditions such as IBS and inflammatory bowel disease.

METHODS

The following electronic databases were systematically searched up to August 2020: MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Central Database of Controlled Trials (via CENTRAL), Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov.

RESULTS

Data arising from pooled analysis, 7 in vitro/pharmacological studies, 7 clinical trials including 1 randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled, showed that the probiotic strain B. longum W11 has been extensively studied for its efficacy in subjects with IBS with constipation, leading to a significant reduction in symptoms. In particular, its role in alleviating constipation was also confirmed in subjects for whom a low-calorie weight-loss diet led to the slowing down of gut motility. The probiotic characteristics of B. longum W11 were further demonstrated in the treatment of minimal hepatic encephalopathy and hepatic disease. The most remarkable trait of B. longum W11 is its non-transmissible antibiotic resistance, due to a nucleotide polymorphism mutation in the rpoB gene, making it resistant to antibiotics of the rifampicin group, including rifaximin. The co-administration of B. longum W11 and rifaximin in patients with symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease brought about a further significant improvement in the clinical condition compared to patients treated with rifaximin alone. B. longum W11 is a probiotic which could synergize with rifaximin as an adjuvant to antibiotic treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken altogether these findings demonstrate the clinical role of the strain W11 both in some functional and in some inflammatory bowel diseases.

Lipi Guben decoction in treating diarrheal irritable bowel syndrome: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder. The global incidence of IBS is as high as 9% to 23%, accounting for about 50% of outpatients in gastroenterology, and the new case detection rate is 0.2% every year. IBS has become a global gastrointestinal functional disease. Although IBS is not a life-threatening disease, it seriously affects the quality of life of patients, causing huge economic and mental burden to individuals, society and families. Lipi Guben decoction (LPGBD) is an important auxiliary treatment for IBS, but lack of robust Evidence-based medicine evidence proving its efficacy. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LPGBD in the treatment of IBS.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, a total of 100 eligible patients will be allocated to the blank control group or LPGBD group in a ratio of 1:1. The treatment period was 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure will be the total clinical effective rate. The Secondary outcomes will include IBS clinical symptom scores, IBS-Severity Scoring System, IBS-Quality of life, Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and Bristol Stool Form Scale. The safety outcome will include Echocardiogram, blood examination (including blood routine test, liver function test, and renal function test), urine routine test and stool routine test. The evaluation indicators and all safety results will be performed at baseline, week 4, week 8 and week 12.

RESULTS

This study will be helpful to evaluate the efficacy and safety of LPGBD in the treatment of IBS.

CONCLUSION

LPGBD may improve the clinical efficacy of patients with IBS, which has important value in practical application.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chictr20000039617, registration time: November 3, 2020.

Increased colon transit time and faecal load in irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a bowel disorder involving abdominal pain or discomfort along with irregularity of stool form and passage frequency. The pathophysiology is poorly understood and seems to be multifactorial. Investigations of possible causes of IBS have included only a few colonic transit studies and no simultaneous determination of the colonic faecal content.

AIM

To compare colon transit time and faecal load between IBS-patients and healthy control subjects.

METHODS

The study included 140 patients with IBS, with a mean age of 50.0 years. The control group comprised 44 healthy persons with a mean age of 43.4 years, who were selected at random from the National Civil Register. Both the patient group and the control group underwent a marker study to measure colon transit time (CTT) and to calculate a faecal loading score. The patient group underwent treatment with a combined prokinetic regime, after which their CTT and faecal loading were reassessed. Analyses were performed to compare measurements between the control group and the patient group before and after treatment.

RESULTS

Compared to healthy controls, IBS-patients exhibited a significantly prolonged mean CTT (45.48 h vs 24.75 h, P = 0.0002) and significantly greater mean faecal loading scores in all colonic segments (P < 0.001). Among IBS patients, we found no significant differences between the 48 h and 96 h radiographs. Among patients exhibiting increased CTT and faecal loading, approximately half exhibited a palpable mass in the right iliac fossa. After intervention with a prokinetic treatment, the mean CTT among IBS patients was reduced from 45.48 h to 34.50 h (P = 0.091), with the post-treatment CTT not significantly differing from the CTT among control subjects (P = 0.095). The faecal loading score among IBS patients did not significantly differ before and after treatment (P = 0.442). The post-treatment faecal loading score in IBS patients remained significantly higher compared to that in controls (5.3 vs 4.3, P = 0.014). After treatment, half of the IBS-patients were relieved of bloating, while the majority no longer experienced abdominal pain and achieved a daily consistent stool.

CONCLUSION

IBS-patients exhibited prolonged CTT and heavier faecal loading. These assessments may aid in diagnosis. Faecal retention may contribute to IBS symptoms, which can be treated using a prokinetic regime.

Efficacy of Auricular Neurostimulation in Adolescents With Irritable Bowel Syndrome in a Randomized, Double-Blind Trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Auricular neurostimulation therapy, in which a noninvasive device delivers percutaneous electrical nerve field stimulation (PENFS) to the external ear, is effective in pediatric patients with functional abdominal pain disorders. Preclinical studies showed that PENFS modulates central pain pathways and attenuates visceral hyperalgesia. We evaluated the efficacy of PENFS in adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

METHODS

We analyzed data from pediatric patients with IBS who participated in a double-blind trial at a tertiary care gastroenterology clinic from June 2015 through November 2016. Patients were randomly assigned to groups that received PENFS (n = 27; median age, 15.3 y; 24 female) or a sham stimulation (n = 23; median age, 15.6 y; 21 female), 5 days/week for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was number of patients with a reduction of 30% or more in worst abdominal pain severity after 3 weeks. Secondary endpoints were reduction in composite abdominal pain severity score, reduction in usual abdominal pain severity, and improvement in global symptom based on a symptom response scale (-7 to +7; 0 = no change) after 3 weeks.

RESULTS

Reductions of 30% or more in worst abdominal pain were observed in 59% of patients who received PENFS vs 26% of patients who received the sham stimulation (P = .024). The patients who received PENFS had a composite pain median score of 7.5 (interquartile range [IQR], 3.6-14.4) vs 14.4 for the sham group (IQR, 4.5-39.2) (P = .026) and a usual pain median score of 3.0 (IQR, 3.0-5.0) vs 5.0 in the sham group (IQR, 3.0-7.0) (P = .029). A symptom response scale score of 2 or more was observed in 82% of patients who received PENFS vs 26% of patients in the sham group (P ≤ .001). No significant side effects were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Auricular neurostimulation reduces abdominal pain scores and improves overall wellbeing in adolescents with IBS. PENFS is a noninvasive treatment option for pediatric patients with functional bowel disorders. ClinicalTrials.gov no: NCT02367729.

Electroacupuncture Improves IBS Visceral Hypersensitivity by Inhibiting the Activation of Astrocytes in the Medial Thalamus and Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Objective

To explore whether the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on visceral hypersensitivity (VH) in rats with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is related to the changes of astrocyte activation in the medial thalamus (MT) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).

Method

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control (NC) group, model control (MC) group, electroacupuncture (EA) group, and fluorocitrate (FCA) group. A model of visceral hypersensitivity was established by neonatal colorectal irritation. In the EA group, needles were inserted into the skin at the Tianshu (ST25) and Shangjuxu (ST37) acupoints, once a day for 7 days. The FCA group received intrathecal injection of FCA on the 1st, 4th, and 7th days. Visceral hypersensitivity was evaluated by the abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mRNA and protein levels in the MT and ACC were detected by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blots.

Results

The AWR score in the MC group was significantly higher than in the NC group, and EA and FCA reduced the AWR score of VH rats. GFAP mRNA and protein levels in the MT and ACC of rats in the MC group were significantly increased compared with the NC group. After either electroacupuncture or fluorocitrate, GFAP mRNA and protein levels in the MT and ACC were both clearly reduced.

Conclusion

Electroacupuncture alleviates IBS visceral hypersensitivity by inhibiting the activation of astrocytes in the MT and ACC.

Irritable bowel syndrome and functional constipation management with integrative medicine: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional constipation (FC) are two commonly encountered functional gastrointestinal disorders in clinical practice and are usually managed with Western medicines in cooperation with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) interventions. Although clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been developed to assist clinicians with their decisions, there are still gaps in management with regard to integrative medicine (IM) recommendations.

AIM

To comprehensively review the currently available CPGs and to provide a reference for addressing the gaps in IBS and FC management.

METHODS

We searched mainstream English and Chinese databases and collected data from January 1990 to January 2019. The search was additionally enriched by manual searches and the use of publicly available resources. Based on the development method, the guidelines were classified into evidence-based (EB) guidelines, consensus-based (CB) guidelines, and consensus-based guidelines with no comprehensive consideration of the EB (CB-EB) guidelines. With regard to the recommendations, the strength of the interventions was uniformly converted to a 4-point grading scale.

RESULTS

Thirty CPGs met the inclusion criteria and were captured as data extraction sources. Most Western medicine (WM) CPGs were developed as EB guidelines. All TCM CPGs and most IM CPGs were identified as CB guidelines. Only the 2011 IBS and IM CPG was a CB-EB set of guidelines. Antispasmodics and peppermint oil for pain, loperamide for diarrhea, and linaclotide for constipation were relatively common in the treatment of IBS. Psyllium bulking agents, polyethylene glycol and lactulose as osmotic laxatives, bisacodyl and sodium picosulfate as stimulant laxatives, lubiprostone and linaclotide as prosecretory agents, and prucalopride were strongly recommended or recommended in FC. TCM interventions were suggested based on pattern differentiation, while the recommendation level was considered to be weak or insufficient.

CONCLUSION

WM CPGs generally provide a comprehensive management algorithm, although there are still some gaps that could be addressed with TCM. Specific high-quality trials are needed to enrich the evidence.

Design and implementation of novel nutraceuticals and derivatives for treating intestinal disorders

Gastrointestinal illnesses pose a significant worldwide disease burden and are associated with an array of medicinal and surgical therapies. Standard pharmaceutical options have adverse effects, prompting the rise of nutraceutical or food-derivative therapies. Here, we present an overview of the current nutraceutical therapies in gastrointestinal disease. We then introduce the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) as a novel therapeutic target. A G-protein-coupled receptor found in apical and basal intestinal cells, the CaSR modulates intestinal fluid secretion and mucosal integrity. Applying nutraceuticals that upregulate the CaSR may alleviate symptoms seen across a spectrum of illnesses. At last, we discuss how nanoparticle technology can be implemented to effectively deliver nutraceuticals to diseased regions of the intestine, thereby minimizing systemic side effects.

Early Infections and the Risk of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Case-Control Study

GOALS

The goal of this study is to evaluate the association between early life infections and subsequent adult onset irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

BACKGROUND

Infections during adulthood are a known risk factor for adult-onset IBS. This investigation examined the role of childhood infections and infection risk factors in the development of IBS symptoms.

STUDY

In total, 1010 subjects (509 outpatients with IBS, 501 matched controls) were mailed questionnaires regarding early-life infections during infancy (0 to 12 mo), toddler years (1 to 3 y), and child years (4 to 18 y). Comparisons between cases and controls were performed using logistic regression adjusting for age, gender, and somatization score.

RESULTS

Around 648 (64.2%) subjects responded. The median age was 51.3 years (range, 18.0 to 70.7 y) and 535 (83%) were female. Childhood (below 18 y) infections were common in cases and controls (98% vs. 98%; P=0.465), with no differences between cases and controls during infant, toddler, and child-age periods. For gastrointestinal infections experienced below 18 years, no differences were observed by infection type (bacterial, viral, or parasitic) or age group. Cases were more likely to report bronchitis by age 18 [43% vs. 25%; P=0.003; odds ratio, 1.73 (1.20-2.51)], but not other common infections. Regular antibiotic exposure was greater amongst cases (43%) than controls (30%) [P=0.09; odds ratio, 1.37 (0.96-1.96)]. The association between bronchitis and IBS case status remained significant after adjusting for antibiotic use (P=0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Greater early childhood gastrointestinal infections rates were not observed in adult individuals with IBS compared with adult controls. The study does not support a statistically significant link between early life infections and IBS aside from bronchitis.

The gastrointestinal symptoms present in patients with postural tachycardia syndrome: A review of the literature and overview of treatment

Orthostatic intolerance, including postural tachycardia syndrome, is often associated with gastrointestinal symptoms. In the vast majority of the cases, the gastrointestinal symptoms are not secondary to the orthostatic disorder, but rather just a comorbid condition. This concept is critical, since treatment aimed at the orthostatic condition will not improve the gastrointestinal symptoms. Only when the gastrointestinal symptoms develop in the upright position and improve or resolve in the supine position, they may be related to the orthostatic stress. The most common symptoms associated with orthostatic intolerance include nausea, dyspepsia, bloating and constipation. The majority of subjects do not have gastroparesis. The chapter discusses available treatments of these conditions.

Irritable bowel syndrome - from etiopathogenesis to therapy

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic and relapsing functional gastrointestinal disorder that affects 9-23% of the population across the world. Patients with IBS are often referred to gastroenterology, undergo various investigations, take various medicines, take time off work and have a poor quality of life. The pathophysiology of IBS is not yet completely understood and seems to be multifactorial. Many pathogenetic factors, in various combinations, and not all necessarily present in each patient, can play an important role. Discomfort or abdominal pain relieived by defacation, asociated with a change in stool form, is a typical clinical manifestation of IBS. Many factors, such as emotional stress and eating, may exacerbate the symptoms. A timely diagnosis of IBS is important so that treatment which will provide adequate symptomatic relief (diarrhoea, constipation, pain and boaring) can be introduced. The diagnosis of IBS is not confirmed by a specific test or structural abnormality. It is made using criteria based on clinical symptoms such as Rome criteria, unless the symptoms are thought to be atypical. Today the Rome Criteria IV is the current gold-standard for the diagnoses of IBS. Treatment of patients with IBS requires a multidisciplinary approach. Some patients respond well to non-pharmacological treatment, while others also require pharmacological treatment. This review will provide a summary of pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria and therapies for IBS.

Disease activity indices in coeliac disease: systematic review and recommendations for clinical trials

OBJECTIVE

Although several pharmacological agents have emerged as potential adjunctive therapies to a gluten-free diet for coeliac disease, there is currently no widely accepted measure of disease activity used in clinical trials. We conducted a systematic review of coeliac disease activity indices to evaluate their operating properties and potential as outcome measures in registration trials.

DESIGN

MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane central library were searched from 1966 to 2015 for eligible studies in adult and/or paediatric patients with coeliac disease that included coeliac disease activity markers in their outcome measures. The operating characteristics of histological indices, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and endoscopic indices were evaluated for content and construct validity, reliability, responsiveness and feasibility using guidelines proposed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

RESULTS

Of 19 123 citations, 286 studies were eligible, including 24 randomised-controlled trials. Three of five PROs identified met most key evaluative criteria but only the Celiac Disease Symptom Diary (CDSD) and the Celiac Disease Patient-Reported Outcome (CeD PRO) have been approved by the FDA. All histological and endoscopic scores identified lacked content validity. Quantitative morphometric histological analysis had better reliability and responsiveness compared with qualitative scales. Endoscopic indices were infrequently used, and only one index demonstrated responsiveness to effective therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Current best evidence suggests that the CDSD and the CeD PRO are appropriate for use in the definition of primary end points in coeliac disease registration trials. Morphometric histology should be included as a key secondary or co-primary end point. Further work is needed to optimise end point configuration to inform efficient drug development.

Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Bridge between Functional Organic Dichotomy

The pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), once thought to be largely psychogenic in origin, is now understood to be multifactorial. One of the reasons for this paradigm shift is the realization that gut dysbiosis, including small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), causes IBS symptoms. Between 4% and 78% of patients with IBS and 1% and 40% of controls have SIBO; such wide variations in prevalence might result from population differences, IBS diagnostic criteria, and, most importantly, methods to diagnose SIBO. Although quantitative jejunal aspirate culture is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of SIBO, noninvasive hydrogen breath tests have been popular. Although the glucose hydrogen breath test is highly specific, its sensitivity is low; in contrast, the early-peak criteria in the lactulose hydrogen breath test are highly nonspecific. Female gender, older age, diarrhea-predominant IBS, bloating and flatulence, proton pump inhibitor and narcotic intake, and low hemoglobin are associated with SIBO among IBS patients. Several therapeutic trials targeting gut microbes using antibiotics and probiotics have further demonstrated that not all symptoms in patients with IBS originate in the brain but rather in the gut, providing support for the micro-organic basis of IBS. A recent proof-of-concept study showing the high frequency of symptom improvement in patients with IBS with SIBO further supports this hypothesis.

The association of catastrophizing with quality-of-life outcomes in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Background

Catastrophizing is a cognitive process characterized by a propensity to concentrate on and magnify the value of an actual or anticipated painful stimulus and negatively assesses one’s ability to cope. Catastrophizing is an important predictor of pain-related outcomes. A cornerstone symptom of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is abdominal pain or discomfort. Also individuals with IBS have been reported to have a tendency to catastrophize. In a sample of individuals who suffer from IBS, we hypothesized that those individuals who catastrophize (catastrophizers) would have worse outcomes as compared to those who do not catastrophize (non-catastrophizers).

Methods

One hundred and one adults with IBS (79% female, mean age 42 years, 97% Caucasian) were recruited from outpatient clinics and data were collected through self-report measures. Catastrophizing was measured with the catastrophizing subscale of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire, illness representations were measured with The Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), psychological distress was measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18), and health-related quality of life was measured using the Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) measure. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple linear regression analyses were completed to describe participants, the associations of the variables of interest, and the unique relationship between psychosocial variables and HRQOL.

Results

Overall, participants reported poor HRQOL (M = 63.32, range 0–100). Catastrophizers differed significantly on IBS-QOL from non-catastrophizers (M = 48.98 vs. non-catastrophizers M = 78.53; p < 0.001), BSI-18 (M = 21.35 vs. non-catastrophizers M = 6.76; p < 0.001), and IPQ-R, specifically the consequences (M = 21.75 vs. non-catastrophizers M = 17.20; p < 0.001) and emotional representations (M = 20.90 vs. non-catastrophizers M = 15.43; p < 0.001). Catastrophizing was positively correlated with the consequences (r = .54; p < 0.01) and emotional representations (r = .65; p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with total HRQOL (r = −0.76; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The findings indicated that participants who catastrophized reported worse psychosocial and functional outcomes. Thus, catastrophizing, in addition to psychological distress variables, may be an important factor to address in optimizing health outcomes in individuals with IBS. In addition, illness perceptions were strongly related to catastrophizing and HRQOL; assessment and integration of illness perceptions as well as catastrophizing into the management of individuals who suffer with IBS may maximize the health outcomes.

Pharmacological Approach for Managing Pain in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Review Article

Context

Visceral pain is a leading symptom for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that affects 10% - 20 % of the world population. Conventional pharmacological treatments to manage IBS-related visceral pain is unsatisfactory. Recently, medications have emerged to treat IBS patients by targeting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and peripheral nerves to alleviate visceral pain while avoiding adverse effects on the central nervous system (CNS). Several investigational drugs for IBS also target the periphery with minimal CNS effects.

Evidence of Acquisition

In this paper, reputable internet databases from 1960 - 2016 were searched including Pubmed and ClinicalTrials.org, and 97 original articles analyzed. Search was performed based on the following keywords and combinations: irritable bowel syndrome, clinical trial, pain, visceral pain, narcotics, opioid, chloride channel, neuropathy, primary afferent, intestine, microbiota, gut barrier, inflammation, diarrhea, constipation, serotonin, visceral hypersensitivity, nociceptor, sensitization, hyperalgesia.

Results

Certain conventional pain managing drugs do not effectively improve IBS symptoms, including NSAIDs, acetaminophen, aspirin, and various narcotics. Anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs (Benzodiazepines, TCAs, SSRI and SNRI) can attenuate pain in IBS patients with relevant comorbidities. Clonidine, gabapentin and pregabalin can moderately improve IBS symptoms. Lubiprostone relieves constipation predominant IBS (IBS-C) while loperamide improves diarrhea predominant IBS (IBS-D). Alosetron, granisetron and ondansetron can generally treat pain in IBS-D patients, of which alosetron needs to be used with caution due to cardiovascular toxicity. The optimal drugs for managing pain in IBS-D and IBS-C appear to be eluxadoline and linaclotide, respectively, both of which target peripheral GI tract.

Conclusions

Conventional pain managing drugs are in general not suitable for treating IBS pain. Medications that target the GI tract and peripheral nerves have better therapeutic profiles by limiting adverse CNS effects.

Irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity improves equally with probiotic and placebo

AIM

To determine the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and quality of life (QoL).

METHODS

In this randomized triple-blind trial, adult IBS volunteers who were recruited according to Rome III criteria received 10⁹ or 10¹⁰ colony-forming units of NCFM or placebo daily for 12 wk. IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS), which constituted the primary outcome, and secondary outcomes, including individual IBS symptoms, IBS-related QoL questionnaire, anxiety and depression, defecation frequency, and stool consistency, were assessed at baseline at the end of the 8-wk run-in period, after 4 and 12 wk of intervention, and after a 4-wk washout.

RESULTS

A total of 340 of 391 randomized volunteers completed the trial. IBS-SSS improved over 12 wk of treatment in all treatment groups, decreasing by a mean ± SD of 44.0 ± 80.2, 50.8 ± 82.4, and 48.3 ± 72.2 in the placebo, active low-dose, and active high-dose groups, respectively. Similarly, secondary outcomes did not differ between treatment groups. However, in a post hoc analysis of volunteers with moderate to severe abdominal pain at baseline (VAS > 35/100), the treatment significantly reduced the sensation of abdominal pain. Pain scores fell by 20.8 ± 22.8, 29.4 ± 17.9, and 31.2 ± 21.9 in the placebo, active low-dose, and active high-dose groups, respectively (P value for placebo vs combined active doses = 0.0460).

CONCLUSION

NCFM alleviates moderate to severe abdominal pain, consistent with earlier observations of this strain mitigating visceral pain through increased analgesic receptor expression.

Limited prolonged effects of rifaximin treatment on irritable bowel syndrome-related differences in the fecal microbiome and metabolome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional disorder and its development may be linked, directly and indirectly, to intestinal dysbiosis. Here we investigated the interactions between IBS symptoms and the gut microbiome, including the relation to rifaximin (1200 mg daily; 11.2 g per a treatment). We recruited 72 patients, including 31 with IBS-D (diarrhea), 11 with IBS-C (constipation), and 30 with IBS-M (mixed constipation and diarrhea) and 30 healthy controls (HCs). Of them, 68%, 64%, and 53% patients with IBS-D, IBS-C, and IBS-M, respectively, achieved 10-12 week-term improvement after the rifaximin treatment. Stool samples were collected before and after the treatment, and fecal microbiotic profiles were analyzed by deep sequencing of 16S rRNA, while stool metabolic profiles were studied by hydrogen 1-nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Of 26 identified phyla, only Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were consistently found in all samples. Bacteroidetes was predominant in fecal samples from HCs and IBS-D and IBS-M subjects, whereas Firmicutes was predominant in samples from IBS-C subjects. Species richness, but not community diversity, differentiated all IBS patients from HCs. Metabolic fingerprinting, using NMR spectra, distinguished HCs from all IBS patients. Thirteen metabolites identified by GC-MS differed HCs and IBS patients. However, neither metagenomics nor metabolomics analyses identified significant differences between patients with and without improvement after treatment.

Self-medication of irritable bowel syndrome and dyspepsia: How appropriate is it?

Objective:

Self-medication is common among patients with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. This study was performed to evaluate self-medication among patients who fulfilled irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and dyspepsia diagnostic criteria and to investigate the appropriateness of self-medication with chemical and herbal drugs.

Methods:

A prospective, descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in outpatient's GI clinics at Shiraz from November 2011 to May 2012. A GI specialist visited the patients and recruited those who had IBS (base on Rome III adapted criteria) or functional dyspepsia. We surveyed self-medication among these patients, using a questionnaire containing specific questions about self-medication.

Findings:

One thousand four hundred and forty-seven patients visited by the GI specialist during the study period. Seven hundred and forty-seven patients had the inclusion criteria, 337 of them fulfilled criteria for IBS, with IBS-mixed (52%) being the most prevalent subtype, and 410 patients had dyspepsia. Overall, 78.8% of the total participants had recently sought medical attention for their GI complaint. Twenty-eight percent of patients selected inappropriate medication for their GI complaints. The H2-blockers class were most common medicines reportedly used. We did not find any significant relationship between age, gender, level of education, marital status, and self-medication frequency.

Conclusion:

Patients who fulfilled criteria for IBS had a high tendency to self-treat their GI symptoms, use of acid-suppressive agents was common among patients. Around one-third of patients self-treated GI symptoms inappropriately. Consequently, the concept of self-medication among patients has to be revised. We recommend conduction of educational programs to improve self-medications selection and attitude among patients to reduce the burden on other health care resources.

Effect of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, BB-12®, on defecation frequency in healthy subjects with low defecation frequency and abdominal discomfort: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, BB-12^®, on two primary end points – defecation frequency and gastrointestinal (GI) well-being – in healthy adults with low defecation frequency and abdominal discomfort. A total of 1248 subjects were included in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. After a 2-week run-in period, subjects were randomised to 1 or 10 billion colony-forming units/d of the probiotic strain BB-12^® or a matching placebo capsule once daily for 4 weeks. Subjects completed a diary on bowel habits, relief of abdominal discomfort and symptoms. GI well-being, defined as global relief of abdominal discomfort, did not show significant differences. The OR for having a defecation frequency above baseline for ≥50 % of the time was 1·31 (95 % CI 0·98, 1·75), P=0·071, for probiotic treatment overall. Tightening the criteria for being a responder to an increase of ≥1 d/week for ≥50 % of the time resulted in an OR of 1·55 (95 % CI 1·22, 1·96), P=0·0003, for treatment overall. A treatment effect on average defecation frequency was found (P=0·0065), with the frequency being significantly higher compared with placebo at all weeks for probiotic treatment overall (all P<0·05). Effects on defecation frequency were similar for the two doses tested, suggesting that a ceiling effect was reached with the one billion dose. Overall, 4 weeks’ supplementation with the probiotic strain BB-12^® resulted in a clinically relevant benefit on defecation frequency. The results suggest that consumption of BB-12^® improves the GI health of individuals whose symptoms are not sufficiently severe to consult a doctor (ISRCTN18128385).

Diet and irritable bowel syndrome

PURPOSE

of review Those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have long reported the frequent precipitation of their symptoms in relation to food ingestion and have often been convinced that certain foods were especially problematic. However, until very recently, research on the responses to food or individual dietary constituents, in IBS, has been scarce. This review addresses recent literature on diet and IBS.

RECENT FINDINGS

The complexity of food-symptom interactions in IBS is being revealed in recent and ongoing research. Such studies have revealed the variable effects of fibre in IBS and the susceptibility of IBS individuals to the ingestion of poorly digested and absorbed carbohydrates. The latter has led to the widespread adoption of the low-fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) diet. Less certain is the role of another widely adopted dietary strategy, gluten restriction. Diet-microbe interactions are critical to the homeostasis of the gut microbiome in health and may well be disturbed in disease; enthusiasm continues, therefore, for the use of probiotics in IBS.

SUMMARY

Food is a common precipitant of symptoms in IBS and recent research has focused on the role(s) of individual dietary constituents in IBS and on fibre, FODMAPs, gluten and probiotics, in particular. Each may have a role in certain IBS sufferers.

Rifaximin: Irritable Bowel Syndrome

This Hospital Pharmacy feature is extracted from Off-Label Drug Facts, a publication available from Wolters Kluwer Health. Off-Label Drug Facts is a practitioner-oriented resource for information about specific drug uses that are unapproved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This new guide to the literature enables the health care professional or clinician to quickly identify published studies on off-label uses and determine if a specific use is rational in a patient care scenario. References direct the reader to the full literature for more comprehensive information before patient care decisions are made. Direct questions or comments regarding Off-Label Drug Uses to jgeneral@ku.edu .