Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome is the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorder in the world, disproportionately impacting women. This chapter explores the variable causes of IBS, outlines the typical medical workup, and addresses common questions from patients. Practical and comprehensive strategies to improve symptoms and quality of life, including medications, diet, and lifestyle, are emphasized.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Bibliography
Lovell RM, Ford AC. Global prevalence of and risk factors for irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012;10(7):712–21.e4.
Drossman DA, Hasler WL. Rome IV-functional GI disorders: disorders of gut-brain interaction. Gastroenterology. 2016;150(6):1257–61.
Begtrup LM, Engsbro AL, Kjeldsen J, Larsen PV, Schaffalitzky de Muckadell O, Bytzer P, et al. A positive diagnostic strategy is noninferior to a strategy of exclusion for patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013;11(8):956–62.e1.
Tack J, Drossman DA. What’s new in Rome IV? Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2017;29(9).
Holtmann GJ, Ford AC, Talley NJ. Pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016;1(2):133–46.
Hughes PA, Moretta M, Lim A, Grasby DJ, Bird D, Brierley SM, et al. Immune derived opioidergic inhibition of viscerosensory afferents is decreased in irritable bowel syndrome patients. Brain Behav Immun. 2014;42:191–203.
Vicario M, Gonzalez-Castro AM, Martinez C, Lobo B, Pigrau M, Guilarte M, et al. Increased humoral immunity in the jejunum of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome associated with clinical manifestations. Gut. 2015;64(9):1379–88.
Lovell RM, Ford AC. Effect of gender on prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in the community: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2012;107(7):991–1000.
Kim YS, Kim N. Sex-gender differences in irritable bowel syndrome. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2018;24(4):544–58.
Park SH, Videlock EJ, Shih W, Presson AP, Mayer EA, Chang L. Adverse childhood experiences are associated with irritable bowel syndrome and gastrointestinal symptom severity. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2016;28(8):1252–60.
Mulak A, Tache Y. Sex difference in irritable bowel syndrome: do gonadal hormones play a role? Gastroenterol Pol. 2010;17(2):89–97.
Mulak A, Tache Y, Larauche M. Sex hormones in the modulation of irritable bowel syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(10):2433–48.
Ruigomez A, Garcia Rodriguez LA, Johansson S, Wallander MA. Is hormone replacement therapy associated with an increased risk of irritable bowel syndrome? Maturitas. 2003;44(2):133–40.
Zielinski R, Searing K, Deibel M. Gastrointestinal distress in pregnancy: prevalence, assessment, and treatment of 5 common minor discomforts. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2015;29(1):23–31.
Body C, Christie JA. Gastrointestinal diseases in pregnancy: nausea, vomiting, hyperemesis gravidarum, gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, and diarrhea. Gastroenterol Clin N Am. 2016;45(2):267–83.
Huerta-Franco MR, Vargas-Luna M, Somoza X, Delgadillo-Holtfort I, Balleza-Ordaz M, Kashina S. Gastric responses to acute psychological stress in climacteric women: a pilot study. Menopause. 2019;26(5):469–75.
Nachtigall LE, Nachtigall L. Menopause and the gastrointestinal system: our gut feelings. Menopause. 2019;26(5):459–60.
Collins FL, Rios-Arce ND, Atkinson S, Bierhalter H, Schoenherr D, Bazil JN, et al. Temporal and regional intestinal changes in permeability, tight junction, and cytokine gene expression following ovariectomy-induced estrogen deficiency. Physiol Rep. 2017;5(9):e13263.
Engsbro AL, Simren M, Bytzer P. Short-term stability of subtypes in the irritable bowel syndrome: prospective evaluation using the Rome III classification. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2012;35(3):350–9.
Knowles SR, Austin DW, Sivanesan S, Tye-Din J, Leung C, Wilson J, et al. Relations between symptom severity, illness perceptions, visceral sensitivity, coping strategies and well-being in irritable bowel syndrome guided by the common sense model of illness. Psychol Health Med. 2017;22(5):524–34.
Sultan S, Malhotra A. Irritable bowel syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 2017;166(11):ITC81–96.
Vanner SJ, Depew WT, Paterson WG, DaCosta LR, Groll AG, Simon JB, et al. Predictive value of the Rome criteria for diagnosing the irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 1999;94(10):2912–7.
Chey WD, Kurlander J, Eswaran S. Irritable bowel syndrome: a clinical review. JAMA. 2015;313(9):949–58.
Ford AC, Quigley EM, Lacy BE, Lembo AJ, Saito YA, Schiller LR, et al. Effect of antidepressants and psychological therapies, including hypnotherapy, in irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2014;109(9):1350–65; quiz 66.
Rej A, Avery A, Ford AC, Holdoway A, Kurien M, McKenzie Y, et al. Clinical application of dietary therapies in irritable bowel syndrome. J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2018;27(3):307–16.
Park MI, Camilleri M. Is there a role of food allergy in irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia? A systematic review. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2006;18(8):595–607.
Dolan R, Chey WD, Eswaran S. The role of diet in the management of irritable bowel syndrome: a focus on FODMAPs. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;12(6):607–15.
Halmos EP, Power VA, Shepherd SJ, Gibson PR, Muir JG. A diet low in FODMAPs reduces symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 2014;146(1):67–75.e5.
Eswaran S, Muir J, Chey WD. Fiber and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013;108(5):718–27.
Johannesson E, Simren M, Strid H, Bajor A, Sadik R. Physical activity improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011;106(5):915–22.
Zhou C, Zhao E, Li Y, Jia Y, Li F. Exercise therapy of patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2019;31(2):e13461.
Ford AC, Lacy BE, Talley NJ. Irritable bowel syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(26):2566–78.
Ford AC, Harris LA, Lacy BE, Quigley EMM, Moayyedi P. Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy of prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics and antibiotics in irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018;48(10):1044–60.
Everhart JE, Ruhl CE. Burden of digestive diseases in the United States part II: lower gastrointestinal diseases. Gastroenterology. 2009;136(3):741–54.
Agarwal N, Spiegel BM. The effect of irritable bowel syndrome on health-related quality of life and health care expenditures. Gastroenterol Clin N Am. 2011;40(1):11–9.
Meleine M, Matricon J. Gender-related differences in irritable bowel syndrome: potential mechanisms of sex hormones. World J Gastroenterol. 2014;20(22):6725–43.
Toner BB, Akman D. Gender role and irritable bowel syndrome: literature review and hypothesis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000;95(1):11–6.
Grinsvall C, Tornblom H, Tack J, Van Oudenhove L, Simren M. Relationships between psychological state, abuse, somatization and visceral pain sensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome. United European Gastroenterol J. 2018;6(2):300–9.
Gerson LB. Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease during pregnancy. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2012;8(11):763–4.
Cullen G, O’Donoghue D. Constipation and pregnancy. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2007;21(5):807–18.
Bradley CS, Kennedy CM, Turcea AM, Rao SS, Nygaard IE. Constipation in pregnancy: prevalence, symptoms, and risk factors. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;110(6):1351–7.
Trottier M, Erebara A, Bozzo P. Treating constipation during pregnancy. Can Fam Physician. 2012;58(8):836–8.
Vazquez JC. Constipation, hemorrhoids, and heartburn in pregnancy. BMJ Clin Evid. 2008;2008:1411.
El-Serag HB, Pilgrim P, Schoenfeld P. Systemic review: natural history of irritable bowel syndrome. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2004;19(8):861–70.
Aziz I, Tornblom H, Palsson OS, Whitehead WE, Simren M. How the change in IBS criteria from Rome III to Rome IV impacts on clinical characteristics and key pathophysiological factors. Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113(7):1017–25.
Drossman DA. 2012 David Sun lecture: helping your patient by helping yourself—how to improve the patient-physician relationship by optimizing communication skills. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013;108(4):521–8.
Lahner E, Bellentani S, Bastiani RD, Tosetti C, Cicala M, Esposito G, et al. A survey of pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders. United European Gastroenterol J. 2013;1(5):385–93.
Hayes PA, Fraher MH, Quigley EM. Irritable bowel syndrome: the role of food in pathogenesis and management. Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014;10(3):164–74.
Simren M, Abrahamsson H, Svedlund J, Bjornsson ES. Quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome seen in referral centers versus primary care: the impact of gender and predominant bowel pattern. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2001;36(5):545–52.
Aziz I, Karajeh MA, Zilkha J, Tubman E, Fowles C, Sanders DS. Change in awareness of gluten-related disorders among chefs and the general public in the UK: a 10-year follow-up study. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2014;26(11):1228–33.
Biesiekierski JR, Newnham ED, Irving PM, Barrett JS, Haines M, Doecke JD, et al. Gluten causes gastrointestinal symptoms in subjects without celiac disease: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011;106(3):508–14; quiz 15.
Vazquez-Roque MI, Camilleri M, Smyrk T, Murray JA, Marietta E, O’Neill J, et al. A controlled trial of gluten-free diet in patients with irritable bowel syndrome-diarrhea: effects on bowel frequency and intestinal function. Gastroenterology. 2013;144(5):903–11.e3.
Biesiekierski JR, Peters SL, Newnham ED, Rosella O, Muir JG, Gibson PR. No effects of gluten in patients with self-reported non-celiac gluten sensitivity after dietary reduction of fermentable, poorly absorbed, short-chain carbohydrates. Gastroenterology. 2013;145(2):320–8.e1–3.
Dionne J, Ford AC, Yuan Y, Chey WD, Lacy BE, Saito YA, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy of a gluten-free diet and a low FODMAPs diet in treating symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113(9):1290–300.
Ford AC, Lacy BE, Harris LA, Quigley EMM, Moayyedi P. Effect of antidepressants and psychological therapies in irritable bowel syndrome: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2019;114(1):21–39.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Eswaran, S., O’Donohue, L. (2019). Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Women. In: Beniwal-Patel, P., Shaker, R. (eds) Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders in Women’s Health . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25626-5_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25626-5_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-25625-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-25626-5
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)