# asthma and ibs



## Guest (Jun 17, 2001)

Common Disorder May Underlie Asthma and IBS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Jun 08 - Asthma appears to be more prevalent among patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) than among individuals without IBS, which suggests that there are pathophysiological processes common to both conditions, according to Turkish researchers. Dr. Aziz Yazar and colleagues, from the Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, in Mersin, performed pulmonary function tests and noted respiratory symptoms in 133 men and women with IBS and 137 controls. They report their findings in the May issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology. In the IBS group 33.8% of patients had respiratory symptoms, significantly more than in the control group, 5.8%. In addition, 15.8% of the IBS patients but only 1.45% of controls were diagnosed with asthma, Dr. Yazar's group found. Compared with controls, IBS patients had impaired pulmonary function, including significantly lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second, flow after 50% of vital capacity had been exhaled, peak expiratory flow rate, and maximal midexpiratory flow rate. In a previous study, the research team notes, patient responses to a questionnaire showed that "IBS, gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, and symptomatic bronchial hyper-responsiveness occur together more often than expected and that the conditions are independently associated with each other." Some of the lines of evidence for an association between IBS and asthma, according to the researchers, are that in both disorders there is an altered contractility and smooth muscle tone, the autonomic nervous system is involved, and inflammation probably has an etiologic role. Am J Gastroenterol 2001;96:1511-1516.


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## wanderingstar (Dec 1, 1999)

Thanks for posting Tom. Interesting isn't it.


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## Guest (Jun 28, 2001)

I have never read anything like this before, it really is interesting. I am new to the forums by the way so Hi Everyone!Has there been any research on the prevalence of people who already have asthma and then develop IBS?I have had asthma since age 8 but it is well controlled and only really bothers me in bad environments, and have always been a 'nervous tummy' sort of person. Then last year I got really sick and a few months ago was diagnosed with IBS-D.So I would be interested to know if the link works the other way aswell.It probably won't make much difference to how I deal with asthma or IBS but I like to look for answers as it helps me feel in control.Anyone else out there read the article and think, hey that could be me?------------------Take CareEmGood, better, best. Never let it rest. Till your good is better and your better best.


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## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

Oh yeah this is a real common thing that not a lot of people talk about or think about outside European researchers like Stefanini, for example.The small bowl immune system structure and function is quite similar to the respiratory (bronchial)immune system structure and function (in the mucosa). The comorbidity is often not noted ast the asthmatic component may be mild or exercise-induced (provoked) only, and then only after ingested exposure to an allergen which effects the gut mast cells (small bowel), systemic immune system (granulocytes, lymphocytes, platelets) and then the lung, upregulating the bronchial wall from the systemic pathway.This is very interesting in studies where cromolyn sodium was administered to IBS patients by mouth instead of by spinhaler as done for asthma. Over 60% of the IBS patients responded positivelt to the cromolyn. This shows the obvious link and similarity between mechanisms and suggests comorbidity occurs more often than we realize.MNL_____________ www.leapallergy.com [This message has been edited by Mike NoLomotil (edited 06-30-2001).]


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