In Search of the Missing Link: IBS and Allergies

This study examines the possible link between allergy problems and IBS. The researchers distributed questionnaires to patients seen in one of the following clinics: allergy/immunology, gastroenterology, and general medicine. The questionnaires addressed symptoms of both IBS and allergies. The researchers found that people who had seasonal allergies, eczema, and depression had a much higher chance of having symptoms of IBS. The study concluded that people who have some form of allergy are more likely to have IBS, which may indicate a connection between the two conditions. The research team coined the term "atopic IBS" to describe the condition experienced by this group of patients. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 2008, Vol. 100, no. 1, pp. 49–53
2008-02-02 13:18:39