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INTERVENTIONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME: A REVIEW OF COCHRANE SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
Ana Carolina Lemes Scaciota1, Delcio Matos1, Manuelle Mastrorocco Brand Rosa1
1Universidade Metropolitana de Santos (UNIMES), Departamento de Medicina, Santos, SP, Brasil.
Arquivos De Gastroenterologia
|April 28, 2021
Summary
Antispasmodic and antidepressant medications show benefits for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom relief. Psychological interventions also appear beneficial, though further high-quality research is needed for definitive conclusions.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Evidence-based medicine
- Systematic reviews
Background:
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a complex gastrointestinal disorder with uncertain etiology and challenging treatment decisions.
- Current understanding of IBS pathophysiology and effective management strategies remains incomplete.
- The need for evidence-based treatment guidance for IBS is critical for clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically identify and critically appraise existing systematic reviews (SRs) on IBS interventions.
- To evaluate the efficacy of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for IBS.
- To assess the methodological quality of SRs on IBS treatments using the AMSTAR-2 tool.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a comprehensive search of the Cochrane Library in May 2020.
- Included systematic reviews (SRs) evaluating pharmacological and non-pharmacological IBS interventions.
- Assessed the methodological rigor of included SRs using the Appraisal of Tools for Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) instrument.
Main Results:
- Eight moderate-to-high quality SRs were analyzed, covering various IBS treatments.
- Antispasmodic drugs and antidepressants demonstrated favorable outcomes for symptom improvement.
- Non-pharmacological options like acupuncture and homeopathy showed minimal benefit with low-certainty evidence; psychological interventions offered symptom relief but lacked long-term data.
Conclusions:
- Pharmacological treatments, specifically antispasmodics and antidepressants, appear beneficial for IBS symptom management.
- Psychological interventions show promise for improving IBS symptoms and patient assessment.
- Further high-quality clinical trials are recommended to strengthen evidence and confirm findings for IBS treatments.
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