title: Gastrointestinal disorders in joint hypermobility syndrome/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome hypermobility type: A review for the gastroenterologist.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS)/Ehlers-Danlos syndrome hypermobility type (EDS-HT) is the most common hereditary non-inflammatory disorder of connective tissue, characterized by a wide range of symptoms, mainly joint hyperextensibility and musculoskeletal symptoms. A majority of patients also experiences gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Furthermore, JHS/EDS-HT has specifically been shown to be highly prevalent in patients with functional GI disorders, such as functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this review was to examine the nature of GI symptoms and their underlying pathophysiology in JHS/EDS-HT. In addition, we consider the clinical implications of the diagnosis and treatment of JHS/EDS-HT for practicing clinicians in gastroenterology. Observations summarized in this review may furthermore represent the first step toward the identification of a new pathophysiological basis for a substantial subgroup of patients with functional GI disorders.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Beckers
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keszthelyi
authors.affiliation: Wingate Institute of Neurogastroenterology, Centre for Digestive Diseases, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fikree
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vork
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology-Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masclee
authors.affiliation: Wingate Institute of Neurogastroenterology, Centre for Digestive Diseases, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.|Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospitals of North Midlands, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, UK.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.affiliation: Wingate Institute of Neurogastroenterology, Centre for Digestive Diseases, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Aziz
mesh_terms: D004535:Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000072102:Gastroenterologists; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome; functional GI disorders; functional dyspepsia; joint hypermobility syndrome