Inflammatory bowel disease

Question 1

What is irritable bowel syndrome?

Answer 1

Irritable bowel syndrome is the most common functional gastrointestinal disorder characterised by a group of symptoms accompanied together that include abdominal pain and changes in the consistency of bowel movements.

Question 2

How common is irritable bowel syndrome?

Answer 2

In western populations, up to one in five people report symptoms consistent with IBS

Question 3

What are risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome?

Answer 3

Female gender
Depression and anxiety
Eating disorder
Psychological stress and trauma
Antibiotic therapy

Question 4

How does irritable bowel syndrome often present?

Answer 4

The primary symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort in association with frequent diarrhea or constipation and a change in bowel habits

Symptoms usually are experienced as acute attacks that subside within one day, but recurrent attacks are likely.

There may also be urgency for bowel movements, a feeling of incomplete evacuation (tenesmus) or bloating

Question 5

How is irritable bowel syndrome diagnosed?

Answer 5

These criteria state that in the preceding 3 months, there should be at least 3 days/month of recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort associated with two or more of the following:

1. Improvement with defecation
2. Onset associated with a change in frequency of stool
3. Onset associated with a change in form (appearance) of stool.

Question 6

How would you manage irritable bowel syndrome?

Answer 6

Probiotics are live or attenuated bacteria or bacterial products that confer a significant health benefit to the host

Prebiotics are non-digestible food supplements that are fermented by host bacteria thereby altering the microbiota of the host often by stimulating the growth of healthy bacteria.
- There is early evidence that they may have a beneficial impact on some IBS symptoms.

FODMAP diet