# Risk of irritable bowel syndrome among asthma patients.



## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/quer...9&dopt=Abstract


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## Mike NoLomotil (Jun 6, 2000)

The relationship between the gut inflammatory reactions as symptom sources in IBS and and asthma are really quite old, going back to the earliest experiments in Italy over the last 12 years in treating IBS- d-types and children) with immunomodualtors that were developed for asthma. The the structure and function of the immune system in the gut is surprisingly similar to the structure and function in the lungs, and it has long been observed there is a physiologic relationship between the two, and comorbidity of asthma and IBS are more common than we think.here is another similar earlier observation of the coincidence of asthma and IBS: __________________________________Am J Gastroenterol 2001 May;96(5):1511-6Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary functional changes in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Yazar A, Atis S, Konca K, Pata C, Akbay E, Calikoglu M, Hafta A. Department of Internal Medicine, Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. OBJECTIVE: Scientific evidence of functional interface between the immune and sensory motor systems of the gut and respiratory systems has been reported. In recent studies excess prevalence of bronchial hyper-responsiveness has been shown among patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The purpose of our study was to investigate the possible relationship between IBS and asthma. METHODS: One hundred thirty-three patients with IBS (108 women, 25 men) and 137 control subjects (105 women, 32 men) were included in this study. Both for IBS and the control group, the mean ages were 41.64+/-9.45 yr and 39.94+/-10.62 yr, respectively. Patients more than 50 yr old, with any organic GI disease, acute respiratory system infection, current or ex-smokers, and patients using drugs affecting smooth muscle and autonomic nervous system were not included in the study. Respiratory symptoms were questioned and pulmonary function tests were performed for every subject. RESULTS: There were 45 (33.8%) and eight (5.8%) subjects with respiratory symptoms in IBS and control groups, respectively (p less than 0.0001). Twenty-one (15.8%) patients from the IBS group and two (1.45%) patients from the control group had the diagnosis of asthma according to history, clinical, and PFT findings. There was no statistical difference between two groups with respect to percentage of forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s-to-forced vital capacity. The difference between the two groups in forced expiratory volume in 1 s, flow after 50% of the vital capacity has been exhaled, peak expiratory flow rate, and maximal mid-expiratory flow rate was statistically significant (p less than 0.01). CONCLUSION: We found that the prevalence of asthma was more common in the IBS group than in controls. Our finding supports the speculation that asthma and IBS may share common pathophysiological processes. PMID: 11374691 ------------------Indeed Stafanini has achieved remission rates in IBS patients using sodium cromoglycate as high as 97%...until tachyphylaxis sets in unfortunately...but this does demonstrate the links in the mechanisms between the two.Also, while scientists have recently discovered the actual cell mediated inflammatory responses of the small bowel in IBS d-types to foods and chemicals, they have been surprised to find allergenic markers as well (igE) leading to the possibility that actaul food ALLERGY may be much more prevalent among IBS patients as a symptom egnerator than once thought. These patients had no circulating IgE antibodies to the provoking foods, but local IgE ws found w in the jejunum to the foods arming the mast cells.Further investigation continues in vivo in Sweden.MNL


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