Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume 64, Issue 6 , Pages 573-582 , June 2008

Somatic comorbidities of irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic analysis

  • Andrea Riedl

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Charité—University Medical Center, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany
    • Division of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Department of Medicine, Charité—University Medical Center, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
  • ,
  • Marco Schmidtmann

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine and Institute of Neurogastroenterology at Martin-Luther Hospital, Berlin, Germany
  • ,
  • Andreas Stengel

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Charité—University Medical Center, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany
  • ,
  • Miriam Goebel

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Charité—University Medical Center, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany
  • ,
  • Anna-Sophia Wisser

      Affiliations

    • Division of Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Charité—University Medical Center, Campus Virchow, Berlin, Germany
    • Department of Medicine and Institute of Neurogastroenterology at Martin-Luther Hospital, Berlin, Germany
  • ,
  • Burghard F. Klapp

      Affiliations

    • Division of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Department of Medicine, Charité—University Medical Center, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
  • ,
  • Hubert Mönnikes

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine and Institute of Neurogastroenterology at Martin-Luther Hospital, Berlin, Germany
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Medicine and Institute of Neurogastroenterology, Martin-Luther-Hospital, Academic Teaching Institution of Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Caspar-Theyß-Straße 27-31, 14193 Berlin, Germany. Tel.: +49 30 8955 3111; fax: +49 30 8955 4554.

Received 3 September 2007 ,Revised 5 February 2008 ,Accepted 7 February 2008.

References 

  1. Markowitz M, Harris W, Ricci J-F, Harrison C, Gordon SH, Wee A, et al. Comorbid conditions in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: data from a national IBS awareness registry. Gastroenterology. 2001;120:A231
  2. Levy RL, Von Korff M, Whitehead WE, Stang P, Saunders K, Jhingran P, et al. Costs of care for irritable bowel syndrome patients in a health maintenance organization. Am J Gastroenterol. 2001;96:3122–3129
  3. Longstreth GF, Wolde-Tsadik G. Irritable bowel-type symptoms in HMO examinees. Prevalence, demographics, and clinical correlates. Dig Dis Sci. 1993;38:1581–1589
  4. Walker EA, Gelfand AN, Gelfand MD, Green C, Katon WJ. Chronic pelvic pain and gynecological symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 1996;17:39–46
  5. Vandvik PO, Wilhelmsen I, Ihlebaek C, Farup PG. Comorbidity of irritable bowel syndrome in general practice: a striking feature with clinical implications. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2004;20:1195–1203
  6. Whitehead WE, Palsson O, Jones KR. Systematic review of the comorbidity of irritable bowel syndrome with other disorders: what are the causes and implications?. Gastroenterology. 2002;122:1140–1156
  7. Agreus L, Svardsudd K, Nyren O, Tibblin G. Irritable bowel syndrome and dyspepsia in the general population: overlap and lack of stability over time. Gastroenterology. 1995;109:671–680
  8. Holtmann G, Goebell H, Talley NJ. Dyspepsia in consulters and non-consulters: prevalence, health-care seeking behaviour and risk factors. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1994;6:917–924
  9. Stanghellini V, Tosetti C, Barbara G, De Giorgio R, Cogliandro L, Cogliandro R, et al. Dyspeptic symptoms and gastric emptying in the irritable bowel Syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2002;97:2738–2743
  10. Talley NJ, Dennis EH, Schettler-Duncan VA, Lacy BE, Olden KW, Crowell MD. Overlapping upper and lower gastrointestinal symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome patients with constipation or diarrhea. Am J Gastroenterol. 2003;98:2454–2459
  11. Corsetti M, Caenepeel P, Fischler B, Janssens J, Tack J. Impact of coexisting irritable bowel syndrome on symptoms and pathophysiological mechanisms in functional dyspepsia. Am J Gastroenterol. 2004;99:1152–1159
  12. Van Bommel MJ, Numans ME, de Wit NJ, Stalman WA. Consultations and referrals for dyspepsia in general practice—a one year database survey. Postgrad Med J. 2001;77:514–518
  13. Nastaskin I, Mehdikhani E, Conklin J, Park S, Pimentel M. Studying the overlap between IBS and GERD: a systematic review of the literature. Dig Dis Sci. 2006;51:2113–2120
  14. Abrahamsson H. Gastrointestinal motility in patients with the irritable bowel syndrome. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1987;130:21–26
  15. Drossman DA, Corazziari E, Talley NJ. Rome II. The functional gastrointestinal disorders. 2nd ed. McLean, VA: Degnon Associates; 2000;
  16. Esryd A, Posserud I, Abrahamsson H, Simren M. Subtyping the irritable bowel syndrome by predominant bowel habit: Rome II versus Rome III. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2007;26:953–961
  17. Drossman DA, Li Z, Andruzzi E, Temple RD, Talley NJ, Thompson WG, et al. US householder survey of functional gastrointestinal disorders. Prevalence, sociodemography, and health impact. Dig Dis Sci. 1993;38:1569–1580
  18. Hawes SK, Ahmad A. Fecal incontinence: a woman's view. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006;101(Suppl 3):S610–S617
  19. Cooper ZR, Rose S. Fecal incontinence: a clinical approach. Mt Sinai J Med. 2000;67:96–105
  20. Donnelly VS, O'Herlihy C, Campbell DM, O'Conell R. Postpartum fecal incontinence is more common in women with irritable bowel syndrome. Dis Colon Rectum. 1998;41:586–589
  21. Lee KJ, Kim JH, Cho SW. Relationship of underlying abnormalities in rectal sensitivity and compliance to distension with symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome. Digestion. 2006;73:133–141
  22. Choi YK, Johlin FC, Summers RW, Jackson M, Rao SS. Fructose intolerance: an under-recognized problem. Am J Gastroenterol. 2003;98:1348–1353
  23. Fernandez-Banares F, Esteve-Pardo M, de Leon R, Humbert P, Cabre E, Llovet JM, et al. Sugar malabsorption in functional bowel disease: clinical implications. Am J Gastroenterol. 1993;88:2044–2050
  24. Gudmand-Hoyer E. The clinical significance of disaccharide maldigestion. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994;59(Suppl 3):735S–741S
  25. Drossman DA, Camilleri M, Mayer EA, Whitehead WE. AGA technical review on irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 2002;123:2108–2131
  26. Keller J, Franke A, Storr M, Wiedbrauck F, Schirra J. Clinically relevant breath tests in gastroenterological diagnostics—recommendations of the German Society for Neurogastroenterology and Motility as well as the German Society for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases. Z Gastroenterol. 2005;43:1071–1090
  27. Friedman G. Diet and the irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 1991;20:313–324
  28. Ladas SD, Grammenos I, Tassios PS, Raptis SA. Coincidental malabsorption of lactose, fructose, and sorbitol ingested at low doses is not common in normal adults. Dig Dis Sci. 2000;45:2357–2362
  29. Schmidtmann M, Stengel A, Goebel M, Van der Voort IR, Klapp BF, Mönnikes H. Comparison of two dietary regimens in patients with IBS-like symptoms and fructose malabsorption: a controlled clinical trial. In preparation.
  30. Simrén M, Axelsson J, Gillberg R, Abrahamsson H, Svedlund J, Björnsson ES. Quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease in remission: the impact of IBS-like symptoms and associated psychological factors. Am J Gastroenterol. 2002;97:389–396
  31. Bercik P, Verdu EF, Collins SM. Is irritable bowel syndrome a low-grade inflammatory bowel disease?. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2005;34:235–245
  32. Quigley EM. Irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease: interrelated diseases?. Chin J Dig Dis. 2005;6:122–132
  33. Andoh A, Ogawa A, Bamba S, Fujiyama Y. Interaction between interleukin-17-producing CD4+ T cells and colonic subepithelial myofibroblasts: what are they doing in mucosal inflammation?. J Gastroenterol. 2007;17(Suppl 42):29–33
  34. Whorwell PJ, McCallum M, Creed FH, Roberts CT. Non-colonic features of irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 1986;27:37–40
  35. Watson WC, Sullivan SN, Corke M, Rush D. Globus and headache: common symptoms of the irritable bowel syndrome. Can Med Assoc J. 1978;118:387–388
  36. Maxton DG, Morris J, Whorwell PJ. More accurate diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome by the use of “non-colonic” symptomatology. Gut. 1991;32:784–786
  37. Sloth H, Jorgensen LS. Predictors for the course of chronic non-organic upper abdominal pain. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1989;24:440–444
  38. Guthrie EA, Creed FH, Whorwell PJ, Tomenson B. Outpatients with irritable bowel syndrome: a comparison of first time and chronic attenders. Gut. 1992;33:361–363
  39. Azpiroz F, Dapoigny M, Pace F, Müller-Lissner S, Coremans G, Whorwell P, et al. Nongastrointestinal disorders in the irritable bowel syndrome. Digestion. 2000;62:66–72
  40. Mulak A, Paradowski L. Migraine and irritable bowel syndrome. Neurol Neurochir Pol. 2005;39(Suppl 1):S55–S60
  41. Cole JA, Rothman KJ, Cabral HJ, Zhang Y, Farraye FA. Migraine, fibromyalgia, and depression among people with IBS: a prevalence study. BMC Gastroenterol. 2006;6:26
  42. Jackson JL, O'Malley PG, Tomkins G, Balden E, Santoro J, Kroenke K. Treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders with antidepressant medications: a meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2000;108:65–72
  43. Rao SG, Bennett RM. Pharmacological therapies in fibromyalgia. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2003;17:611–627
  44. Colombo B, Annovazzi PO, Comi G. Therapy of primary headaches: the role of antidepressants. Neurol Sci. 2004;25(Suppl 3):S171–S175
  45. Gebhart GF. Visceral nociception: consequences, modulation and the future. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 1995;10:24–27
  46. Triadafilopoulos G, Simms RW, Goldenberg DL. Bowel dysfunction in fibromyalgia syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. 1991;36:59–64
  47. Sperber AD, Atzmon Y, Neumann L, Weisberg I, Shalit Y, Abu-Shakrah M, et al. Fibromyalgia in the irritable bowel syndrome: studies of prevalence and clinical implications. Am J Gastroenterol. 1999;94:3541–3546
  48. Heitkemper M, Burr RL, Jarrett M, Hertig V, Lustyk MK, Bond EF. Evidence for autonomic nervous system imbalance in women with irritable bowel syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. 1998;43:2093–2098
  49. Karling P, Nyhlin H, Wiklund U, Sjoberg M, Olofsson BO, Bjerle P. Spectral analysis of heart rate variability in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1998;33:572–576
  50. Orr WC, Elsenbruch S, Harnish MJ. Autonomic regulation of cardiac function during sleep in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000;95:2865–2871
  51. Duprez DA, De Buyzere ML, Drieghe B, Vanhaverbeke F, Taes Y, Michielsen W, et al. Long- and short-term blood pressure and RR-interval variability and psychosomatic distress in chronic fatigue syndrome. Clin Sci (Lond). 1998;94:57–63
  52. Yataco A, Talo H, Rowe P, Kass DA, Berger RD, Calkins H. Comparison of heart rate variability in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and controls. Clin Auton Res. 1997;7:293–297
  53. De Becker P, Dendale P, De Meirleir K, Campine I, Vandenborne K, Hagers Y. Autonomic testing in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Am J Med. 1998;105:22S–26S
  54. Freeman R, Komaroff AL. Does the chronic fatigue syndrome involve the autonomic nervous system?. Am J Med. 1997;102:357–364
  55. Chang L, Mayer EA, Johnson T, FitzGerald LZ, Naliboff B. Differences in somatic perception in female patients with irritable bowel syndrome with and without fibromyalgia. Pain. 2000;84:297–307
  56. Aaron LA, Burke MM, Buchwald D. Overlapping conditions among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and temporomandibular disorder. Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:221–227
  57. Jones KR, Palsson OS, Levy RL, Feld AD, Longstreth GF, Bradshaw BH, et al. Comorbid disorders and symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared to other gastroenterology patients. Gastroenterology. 2001;120:A66
  58. Leroi AM, Bernier C, Watier A, Hemond M, Goupil G, Black R, et al. Prevalence of sexual abuse among patients with functional disorders of the lower gastrointestinal tract. Int J Colorectal Dis. 1995;10:200–206
  59. Walker EA, Katon WJ, Roy-Byrne PP, Jemelka RP, Russo J. Histories of sexual victimization in patients with irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease. Am J Psychiatry. 1993;150:1502–1506
  60. Prior A, Whorwell PJ. Gynaecological consultation in patients with the irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 1989;30:996–998
  61. Zondervan KT, Yudkin PL, Vessey MP, Dawes MG, Barlow DH, Kennedy SH. Patterns of diagnosis and referral in women consulting for chronic pelvic pain in UK primary care. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1999;106:1156–1161
  62. Mayer EA. Visceral hyperalgesia an the irritable bowel syndrome. In:  Gebhart GF editors. Visceral pain. Progress in pain research and management. 1995;p. 429–468Seattle
  63. Prior A, Wilson K, Whorwell PJ, Faragher EB. Irritable bowel syndrome in the gynecological clinic. Survey of 798 new referrals. Dig Dis Sci. 1989;34:1820–1824
  64. Francis CY, Duffy JN, Whorwell PJ, Morris J. High prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in patients attending urological outpatient departments. Dig Dis Sci. 1997;42:404–407
  65. Whorwell PJ, Lupton EW, Erduran D, Wilson K. Bladder smooth muscle dysfunction in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. 1986;27:1014–1017
  66. Monga AK, Marrero JM, Stanton SL, Lemieux MC, Maxwell JD. Is there an irritable bladder in the irritable bowel syndrome?. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1997;104:1409–1412
  67. Alagiri M, Chottiner S, Ratner V, Slade D, Hanno PM. Interstitial cystitis: unexplained associations with other chronic disease and pain syndromes. Urology. 1997;49(Suppl 5A):52–57
  68. Erdem E, Akbay E, Sezgin O, Doruk E, Canpolat B, Cayan S. Is there a relation between irritable bowel syndrome and urinary stone disease?. Dig Dis Sci. 2005;50:605–608
  69. Dotevall G, Svedlund J, Sjodin I. Symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1982;79:16–19
  70. Guthrie E, Creed FH, Whorwell PJ. Severe sexual dysfunction in women with the irritable bowel syndrome: comparison with inflammatory bowel disease and duodenal ulceration. Br Med J. 1987;295:577–578
  71. Fass R, Fullerton S, Naliboff B, Hirsh T, Mayer EA. Sexual dysfunction in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and non-ulcer dyspepsia. Digestion. 1998;59:79–85
  72. Rapkin AJ, Mayer EA. Gastroenterologic causes of chronic pelvic pain. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1993;
  73. Houghton LA, Lea R, Jackson N, Whorwell PJ. The menstrual cycle affects rectal sensitivity in patients with irritable bowel syndrome but not healthy volunteers. Gut. 2002;50:471–474
  74. Jackson NA, Houghton LA, Whorwell PJ, Currer B. Does the menstrual cycle affect anorectal physiology?. Dig Dis Sci. 1994;39:2607–2611
  75. Emmanuel AV, Kamm MA. Laser Doppler flowmetry as a measure of extrinsic colonic innervation in functional bowel disease. Gut. 2000;46:212–217
  76. Jones R, Latinovic R, Charlton J, Gulliford M. Physical and psychological co-morbidity in irritable bowel syndrome: a matched cohort study using the General Practice Research Database. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006;24:879–886
  77. Kennedy TM, Jones RH, Hungin AP, O'Flanagan H, Kelly P. Irritable bowel syndrome, gastro-oesophageal reflux, and bronchial hyper-responsiveness in the general population. Gut. 1998;43:770–774
  78. White AM, Stevens WH, Upton AR, O'Byrne PM, Collins SM. Airway responsiveness to inhaled methacholine in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1991;100:68–74
  79. Jones R, Lydeard S. Prevalence of symptoms of dyspepsia in the community. BMJ. 1989;298:30–32
  80. Collins SM. Is the irritable gut an inflamed gut?. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1992;192:102–105
  81. Nyhlin H, Ford MJ, Eastwood J, Smith JH, Nicol EF, Elton RA, et al. Non-alimentary aspects of the irritable bowel syndrome. J Psychosom Res. 1993;37:155–162
  82. Kumar D, Thompson PD, Wingate DL, Vesselinova-Jenkins CK, Libby G. Abnormal REM sleep in the irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 1992;103:12–17
  83. Orr WC, Crowell MD, Lin B, Harnish MJ, Chen JD. Sleep and gastric function in irritable bowel syndrome: derailing the brain–gut axis. Gut. 1997;41:390–393
  84. Jarrett M, Heitkemper M, Cain KC, Burr RL, Hertig V. Sleep disturbance influences gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome. Dig Dis Sci. 2000;45:952–959
  85. Friedberg F, Dechene L, McKenzie MJ, Fontanetta R. Symptom patterns in long-duration chronic fatigue syndrome. J Psychosom Res. 2000;48:59–68
  86. Wessely S, Nimnuan C, Sharpe M. Functional somatic syndromes: one or many?. Lancet. 1999;354:936–939
  87. Talley NJ, Boyce P, Jones M. Identification of distinct upper and lower gastrointestinal symptom groupings in an urban population. Gut. 1998;42:690–695
  88. Talley NJ, Holtmann G, Agreus L, Jones M. Gastrointestinal symptoms and subjects cluster into distinct upper and lower groupings in the community: a four nations study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000;951:439–447
  89. Whitehead WE, Crowell MD, Bosmajian L, Zonderman A, Costa PT, Benjamin C, et al. Existence of irritable bowel syndrome supported by factor analysis of symptoms in two community samples. Gastroenterology. 1990;98:336–340
  90. Zaman MS, Chavez NF, Krueger R, Talley NJ, Lembo T. Extra-intestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Gastroenterology. 2001;120:A636
  91. Robbins JM, Kirmayer LJ, Hemami S. Latent variable models of functional somatic distress. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1997;185:606–615

PII: S0022-3999(08)00061-5

doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2008.02.021

Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume 64, Issue 6 , Pages 573-582 , June 2008