Irritable bowel increases risk of other conditions

NEW YORK, Oct 7 (Reuters) The findings from a large study indicate that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are at increased risk for migraine, depression or fibromyalgia, a chronic condition of fatigue, muscle pain and other symptoms.

Previous research has linked IBS with these disorders, but much of the supporting data has come from case reports or from small clinical practices, lead author Dr. J. Alexander Cole and colleagues, from Boston University, note.

Plus, issues related study design, such as the lack of a reference group and the inability to account for the possible influence of other risk factors, have prevented researchers from reaching definitive conclusions.

The current study, published in BMC Gastroenterology, involved more than 125,000 subjects and did include a reference group. The subjects were drawn from a large US health plan and were seen for either IBS or routine medical care (the non-IBS group).

Compared with non-IBS patients, those with the condition were 60 per cent more likely to also have any one of the three disorders, the report indicates. The elevated risks for depression, migraine, and fibromyalgia were 40 per cent, 60 per cent, and 80 per cent, respectively.

The current findings support previous reports, which have promoted speculation that all four disorders share an underlying biological mechanism, the authors conclude.

REUTERS AKJ KP0900