Irritable bowel syndrome subtypes according to bowel habit

Abstract

Approximately one-quarter of subjects with IBS belong to the A-IBS subtype by the Rome II criteria, although the majority consider themselves to be constipated; indeed, clinical manifestations are more akin to the C-IBS subtype than to the D-IBS subtype. Abdominal discomfort/pain and frequency of visits to physicians are greater in the A-IBS subtype than in the other two IBS subtypes, while HRQoL is impaired similarly.

Irritable bowel syndrome subtypes: Clinical and psychological features, body mass index and comorbidities

“…Patients of this subgroup complained of symptoms commonly seen in IBS-C (straining) and IBS-D (urgency), as shown in other studies (21,37). This should be taken into account during treatment with medications with significant effects on colonic motility or stool consistency, which could improve some symptoms, with no relief or even aggravation of others.…”

Irritable bowel syndrome subtypes differ in body awareness, psychological symptoms and biochemical stress markers

“…When comparing the various subtypes of IBS, Whitehead et al [18] did not find any disparity in colonic motility and psychological testing. In contrast, other authors have found differences in gender, abdominal discomfort/pain and psychological comorbidity between the IBS subtypes [19][20][21][22] . Disparities in endocrine factors between the subtypes of IBS have not been extensively studied.…”

“…The division of IBS into different subgroups is based on the fact that these patients behave in dissimilar ways. According to the Rome Ⅱ criteria, building on stool and defecation patterns, IBS can be divided into diarrhoea predominant (D-IBS), constipation predominant (C-IBS) and alternating (A-IBS) subtypes [15,16] . Although, lately questioned, the Rome Ⅱ criteria are widely used in clinical practice [17] .…”

Insights Into Normal and Disordered Bowel Habits From Bowel Diaries

“…However, currently available bowel questionnaires do not ascertain the relationship between bowel symptoms (e.g., straining) and stool form. This is a significant lacuna, particularly in patients who have varying bowel habits, which is not uncommon in functional bowel disorders (7)(8)(9)(10). Indeed, studies from primary care and referral practices suggest that a majority of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have symptoms of constipation and diarrhea, termed mixed IBS (or IBS-M) (11,12).…”