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Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Diagnosis

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Introduction to Gastrointestinal Diseases Vol. 1

Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder diagnosed on symptom-based criteria without inclusion of any objective parameter measurable by known diagnostic methods. Heterogeneity of patient’s symptoms and overlapping with more serious organic diseases increase uncertainty for the physician’s work and enhance the cost of confirming the diagnosis. In 2016 Rome IV criteria of functional disorders were published. These criteria are the basis to make a diagnosis in the daily work of medical doctors, especially general practitioners and gastroenterologists. Recent studies showed that in the future a combination of several new biomarkers could improve the diagnostic process of IBS. Among the studied biomarkers, most evidence is provided for fecal calprotectin. However, cut-off values for fecal calprotectin still have to be investigated prior to inclusion in the IBS diagnostic algorithm. In this chapter diagnosis criteria of IBS will be discussed.

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Correspondence to Marcin Włodarczyk .

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Włodarczyk, M., Sobolewska-Włodarczyk, A. (2017). Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Diagnosis. In: Fichna, J. (eds) Introduction to Gastrointestinal Diseases Vol. 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49016-8_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49016-8_3

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