title: Impaired esophageal function in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine prevalence of the signs and symptoms related to esophageal dysfunction in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients, and to investigate sensorimotor function impairment based on the esophageal manometry study, thus to determine the correlation between them. The study included 30 patients with IBS, 14 of them with diarrhea (IBSd) and 16 with constipation (IBSc) as a predominant discomfort. Control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects. The patients were included in the study on the basis of the Rome criteria for IBS. In addition to thorough history and physical examination patient underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and esophageal manometry. The values of esophageal manometry obtained in healthy subjects served as controls in manometry studies. The patients with IBS suffered a great number of both colonic and extracolonic signs and symptoms, however, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of particular symptoms between the two patient subgroups. In comparison with healthy subjects, the patients suffering from IBS showed pathologically altered values in the majority of parameters of esophageal motility. Comparison of the two subgroups of IBS patients according to esophageal motility characteristics yielded differences in only few of them. The results obtained in the study could explain why the patients with IBS quite commonly complain of the symptoms related to upper gastrointestinal tract, such as heartburn and chest pain of noncardiac genesis. The results also suggest that the IBS might be associated with considerably more extensive smooth muscle or innervation changes than presumed before.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatogastroenterology, General Hospital "Sveti Duh", Zagreb, Croatia. ante.bilic@bol-svduh.t-com.hr
authors.forename: Ante
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bilić
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jurcić
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Nikolina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marić
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vcev
authors.forename: Marinko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marusić
authors.forename: Maruska
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gabrić
authors.forename: Ljubica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spoljarić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence