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Published on: November 30, 2016
Symptomatic overlap between irritable bowel syndrome and microscopic colitis.
David Limsui1, Darrell S Pardi, Michael Camilleri
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Approximately half of microscopic colitis patients meet irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom criteria. This suggests IBS diagnostic criteria may not exclude microscopic colitis, warranting further investigation in persistent cases.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Internal Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Microscopic colitis diagnosis relies on histology, while irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) uses symptom-based criteria.
- Limited research exists on the symptomatic overlap between microscopic colitis and IBS.
- This study aimed to determine IBS symptom prevalence in a population-based microscopic colitis cohort.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the prevalence of symptoms meeting diagnostic criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) within a population-based cohort of patients diagnosed with microscopic colitis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) medical records linkage system for Olmsted County, Minnesota residents diagnosed with microscopic colitis (1985-2001).
- Reviewed medical records to identify symptoms consistent with Rome, Rome II, and Manning criteria for IBS.
Main Results:
- Identified 131 microscopic colitis cases; median age 68, 71% women.
- 53% and 56% met Rome and Rome II IBS criteria, respectively.
- 41% met three or more Manning criteria; 33% had a prior IBS diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- About half of patients with histologically confirmed microscopic colitis met symptom-based criteria for IBS.
- Symptom-based IBS criteria lack specificity to rule out microscopic colitis.
- Consider colonic biopsies for suspected diarrhea-predominant IBS unresponsive to treatment to rule out microscopic colitis.
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