Correlation of serotonin and monoamine oxidase levels with anxiety level in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is generally considered to have a psychogenic component in its physiopathology.


OBJECTIVE
To study the role of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT), monoamine oxidase (MAO) and anxiety, and to elucidate the relationship between these in patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS.


METHODS
5-HT and MAO activity and anxiety levels were studied in 20 healthy volunteers (aged 18-25 years; all men) and 57 patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS (30-60 years; all men).


RESULTS
The concentrations of 5-HT (0.3 [0.04] microg/ mL) and MAO (15.5 [3.2] U/mL), and the anxiety level score (14.4 [2.9]) were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in patients than in healthy volunteers (0.1 [0.02], 6.4 [1.4] and 3.4 [1.2], respectively). These parameters correlated with each other in both patients and volunteers.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated 5-HT and MAO activity and anxiety may play a role in patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS.
Singh
R K
RK
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi 221 005. rakeshbhu@yahoo.com
Pandey
H P
HP
Singh
R H
RH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D015415:Biomarkers; D012701:Serotonin; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase