Comparison of symptoms, healthcare utilization, and treatment in diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome

OBJECTIVES: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by symptoms including abdominal pain and altered bowel function. Up to 75% of individuals with IBS may be undiagnosed. The aim of this study was to characterize symptoms, healthcare utilization, and treatments in populations with both diagnosed and undiagnosed IBS. METHODS: An online survey was conducted to compare gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, healthcare visits, well-being, symptom management, and treatment satisfaction in individuals with and without medically diagnosed IBS (Rome III criteria). Symptom severity, disruptiveness, and treatment satisfaction were rated using a 7-point scale. Adjustments to daily life were determined by predefined survey responses. RESULTS: A total of 1,924 individuals with a history of GI symptoms were eligible and completed the survey. Of these, 1,094 individuals (56.9%) met the criteria for IBS; 830 individuals (43.1%) had no medical diagnosis of IBS despite meeting diagnostic criteria. Most participants received a diagnosis from either gastroenterologists (45%) or primary care physicians (42%). A greater percentage of diagnosed patients had severe GI symptoms (score ≥6) vs. undiagnosed individuals (16% vs. 8%, respectively; P<0.05); diagnosed patients were more likely to report that GI symptoms adversely affected their quality of life. Approximately 40% of participants received IBS-related treatment from primary care physicians; 26% and 43% of diagnosed and undiagnosed individuals, respectively, were not receiving treatment for GI symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Many individuals with IBS-related symptoms have not been medically diagnosed with IBS. IBS-related symptoms impact quality of life, yet more than one-third of individuals are not receiving treatment for IBS

Serotonin type 3 receptor subunit gene polymorphisms associated with psychosomatic symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: A multicenter retrospective study

BACKGROUND: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the serotonin type 3 receptor subunit ( AIM: To assess the association of METHODS: In this retrospective study, 623 participants with IBS were recruited from five specialty centers in Germany, Sweden, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Depressive, anxiety, and somatization symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics were collected. Four functional SNPs - RESULTS: Depressive and anxiety symptoms significantly worsened with increasing numbers of minor CONCLUSION: We have provided the first evidence tha

The serotonin receptor 3E variant is a risk factor for female IBS-D

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gut-brain disorder of multifactorial origin. Evidence of disturbed serotonergic function in IBS accumulated for the 5-H

The alternative serotonin transporter promoter P2 impacts gene function in females with irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gut-brain disorder in which symptoms are shaped by serotonin acting centrally and peripherally. The serotonin transporter gene SLC6A4 has been implicated in IBS pathophysiology, but the underlying genetic mechanisms remain unclear. We sequenced the alternative P2 promoter driving intestinal SLC6A4 expression and identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were associated with IBS in a discovery sample. Identified SNPs built different haplotypes, and the tagging SNP rs2020938 seems to associate with constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) in females. rs2020938 validation was performed in 1978 additional IBS patients and 6,038 controls from eight countries. Meta-analysis on data from 2,175 IBS patients and 6,128 controls confirmed the association with female IBS-C. Expression analyses revealed that the P2 promoter drives SLC6A4 expression primarily in the small intestine. Gene reporter assays showed a functional impact of SNPs in the P2 region. In silico analysis of the polymorphic promoter indicated differential expression regulation. Further follow-up revealed that the major allele of the tagging SNP rs2020938 correlates with differential SLC6A4 expression in the jejunum and with stool consistency, indicating functional relevance. Our data consolidate rs2020938 as a functional SNP associated with IBS-C risk in females, underlining the relevance of SLC6A4 in IBS pathogenesis

A narrative review of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea: A primer for primary care providers

Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) is a chronic disorder of gut-brain interaction, characterized by recurrent abdominal pain in association with more frequent, loose stools. The pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) includes disordered gut motility, alterations in gut microbiota, neural-hormonal system abnormalities, immune reactivity, and visceral hypersensitivity. Timely diagnosis of IBS-D can be achieved easily using clinical criteria. Formal IBS diagnosis is important for optimizing treatment and patient outcomes and facilitating patient access to appropriate educational resources. Yet, given the symptom overlap with other gastrointestinal conditions, diagnosis of IBS-D often is perceived to be challenging. Treatment of IBS includes both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic options. Rifaximin, alosetron, and eluxadoline are effective treatments indicated for IBS-D, but have limited availability internationally. Dietary approaches may also be indicated for certain patients with IBS-D. Psychological interventions may be effective in treating abdominal pain alone and global symptoms in IBS. We describe use of these diverse therapies and provide an overview to facilitate the primary care provider\u27s approach to distinguishing IBS-D from other conditions with symptom overlap

Effect of fungicides on mycosis progression and potato yields

Saabunud / Received 23.11.2021 ; Aktsepteeritud / Accepted 08.05.2022 ; Avaldatud veebis / Published online 08.05.2022 ; Vastutav autor / Corresponding author: Natalia Plotnytska ; [email protected] efficiency of crop cultivation technologies, including potatoes, can decrease under the influence of pests, especially in the case of untimely or low-quality protective measures. Pathogens parasitizing the vegetative surface of plants have a significant impact on the quality and yield of potato tubers. Such pathogens are fungi Phytophthora infestans (Mont) de Bary, Alternaria solani Sorauer and Alternaria alternata Keis, which are the causative agents of late blight and early blight. Early manifestation and significant development of these diseases during the growing season can lead to losses, which are estimated at 4 billion euros per year. Studies by many scientists reveal a significant positive result from the use of fungicides during the growing season of plants, harvesting and storage of crops. This article investigated the efficacy of fungicides against late blight and early blight and their effects on yield and tuber quality of the early maturing potato variety Bellarosa. The research was conducted from 2018 to 2020 at the PE Zherm of the Zhytomyr region Ukraine. The experiment scheme consisted of the following variants: Control – spraying of plants with water; Variant 1. Ridomil Gold MC 68 WP, (mancozeb, 640 g kg–1 + metalaxyl M, 40 g kg–1) – 2.5 kg ha–1 – the reference variant; Variant 2. Infinito 61 SC, 68.75% (fluopycolide, 62.5 g L–1 + propamocarb hydrochloride, 625 g L–1) – 1.5 L ha–1; Variant 3. Quadris TOP 325 SC, 32.5% (azoxystrobin, 200 g L–1 + difenoconazole, 125 g L–1) – 0.8 L ha–1. It has been established that the application of fungicides in the potato plantings against late blight and early blight reduces the spread of the leaf spot by 1.4–2.0 times at the end of the vegetation period, and its development – by 1.8–2.9 times in comparison with the Control variant. An increase in yield of potato tubers of Bellarosa variety due to the application of fungicides against leaf spot disease was within 4.5–10.9 t ha–1 in comparison with the Control variant. Among the studied preparations, the best indicators were obtained when using the fungicide Infinito 61 SC, 68.75% in potato plantings against late blight and early blight. Application of this preparation helped to reduce the spread of the studied diseases by 2.0 times, the development of diseases by 2.9 times, and increase the yield by 1.4 times compared to the variant without fungicides application. Application of fungicides also contributed to the improved quality of the tubers; in particular, we observed an increase of the dry matter content in tubers by 0.1–0.6%, ascorbic acid – by 0.2–1.1 mg% 100 g–1 compared to the variant without using the preparations

Anthropomorphic finger for grasping applications: 3D printed endoskeleton in a soft skin

Application of soft and compliant joints in grasping mechanisms received an increasing attention during recent years. This article suggests the design and development of a novel bio-inspired compliant finger which is composed of a 3D printed rigid endoskeleton covered by a soft matter. The overall integrated system resembles a biological structure in which a finger presents an anthropomorphic look. The mechanical properties of such structure are enhanced through optimization of the repetitive geometrical structures that constructs a flexure bearing as a joint for the fingers. The endoskeleton is formed by additive manufacturing of such geometries with rigid materials. The geometry of the endoskeleton was studied by finite element analysis (FEA) to obtain the desired properties: high stiffness against lateral deflection and twisting, and low stiffness in the desired bending axis of the fingers. Results are validated by experimental analysis