The SymbioCare initiative: management of irritable bowel syndrome, comparison between Italian gastroenterologists and...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common medical condition characterized by different phenotypes. Diarrhea is usually prevalent in IBS patients, but constipation and meteorism are also common. Pharmacological therapies do not modify the IBS natural history. Thus, food supplements are used in clinical practice. The present Italian educational activity investigated the characteristics of IBS patients and compared the attitudes of gastroenterologists (GEs) and general practitioners (GPs).

Fifty-three gastroenterologists and 42 GPs enrolled 2442 IBS patients. This initiative consisted of two distance learning sessions and a field training session. Demographic and clinical parameters, tests, and treatments (including past/ongoing and current) were collected.

Mean age (46 years), female gender, and IBS with diarrhea were prevalent and consistent with literature data. Roma IV criteria were scarcely adopted by GPs. Patients managed by GEs were more complex than patients followed by GPs. GEs prescribed more appropriate diagnostic tests than GPs. Food supplements were commonly used both alone or combined with drugs, mainly by GPs. Symbiotic use was associated with less cramping pain, tension pain, and meteorism than other food supplements. An impressive increase in symbiotic prescriptions occurred during the field training.

This real-world experience described the main characteristics of IBS patients, highlighted the differences between GEs and GPs, and reinforced the importance of educational programs in updating the medical class.