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Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
Published on: November 30, 2016
Inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome
1Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
The Medical Clinics of North America
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Many patients initially diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may actually have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This article highlights the common co-occurrence of IBS and IBD, impacting diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Internal Medicine
- Digestive Health
Background:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder, accounting for a significant portion of gastroenterology practice visits.
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is often less prevalent than IBS, leading to potential diagnostic challenges.
- Patients with IBD may initially receive an IBS diagnosis due to overlapping symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the diagnostic challenges in differentiating IBS from IBD.
- To highlight the frequent co-existence of IBS and IBD in patients.
- To emphasize the importance of accurate diagnosis for effective patient management.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical presentations and diagnostic pathways for IBS and IBD.
- Analysis of patient data to identify overlapping symptoms and diagnostic delays.
- Literature review on the comorbidity of functional gastrointestinal disorders and IBD.
Main Results:
- A substantial overlap exists between the symptoms of IBS and IBD.
- Misdiagnosis of IBD as IBS can delay appropriate treatment.
- A significant number of patients may present with both IBS and IBD concurrently.
Conclusions:
- Accurate differentiation between IBS and IBD is crucial for timely and effective treatment.
- Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for IBD in patients with persistent or severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Recognizing the comorbidity of IBS and IBD can improve patient outcomes.
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