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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
Published on: November 30, 2016
Therapy options in irritable bowel syndrome.
Paul Enck1, Florian Junne, Sibylle Klosterhalfen
1Department of Internal Medicine VI, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany. paul.enck@uni-tuebingen.de
Peppermint oil, psychotherapy, and probiotics show the highest efficacy for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment. Other therapies like antispasmodics offer moderate benefits, while bran and fibers are ineffective for IBS management.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Evidence-based medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Numerous meta-analyses exist on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) therapies.
- Physicians need guidance on selecting effective IBS treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the efficacy of various IBS therapies.
- To provide an evidence-based approach for clinical decision-making in IBS management.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of 121 IBS trials over 35 years.
- Inclusion of drug classes (antispasmodics, motility agents, antidepressants, peppermint oil), dietary interventions (bran, probiotics), and psychotherapies.
- Estimation of efficacy using odds ratio and number needed to treat.
Main Results:
- Peppermint oil demonstrated the highest efficacy.
- Psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological interventions, along with probiotics, showed significant benefits.
- Antispasmodics had moderate efficacy; motility-affecting drugs and fiber therapies were largely ineffective.
Conclusions:
- Effective evidence-based treatment options for IBS are available.
- Many novel IBS compounds have failed in development.
- A clinical therapy decision algorithm is proposed for IBS management.
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