Axel Josefsson1, Amanda Rosendahl1, Pernilla Jerlstad1, Gunilla Näslin1, Hans Törnblom1, Magnus Simrén1,2. 1. Department of Internal Medicine & Clinical Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. 2. Center for Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Visceral hypersensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), measured with rectal balloon distensions, using a barostat, has been suggested to be a phenomenon that is reduced due to habituation at repeated investigations. We investigated the stability of rectal sensitivity in patients with IBS who had undergone a previous rectal barostat study and assessed variations in symptom pattern and severity in relation to rectal sensory function. METHOD: Irritable bowel syndrome patients, who had previously been undergone a rectal barostat study, were included. All patients underwent a second study 8-12 years later. Symptoms were characterized by use of questionnaires. KEY RESULTS: We included 26 subjects (17 females, median age at the index investigation 44.5 (21-61) years). Pressure and volume sensory thresholds were unchanged at the follow-up compared with the index investigation (P > 0.05 for all). At the index investigation, 8/26 patients had rectal hypersensitivity of which four were reclassified as normosensitive, and sixfrom normo- to hypersensitive, meaning that 10/26 patients were hypersensitive at the follow-up investigation. IBS-QOL had improved significantly in six of nine domains at follow-up (P < 0.05 for all). There were no differences in anxiety, depression, IBS symptom severity, or somatization (P > 0.05) at follow-up. None of these were associated with change in rectal sensitivity at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: Rectal hypersensitivity and IBS symptoms remained stable at the group level over 8-12 years in IBS patients, even though individual fluctuations were noted. Our findings contradict previous findings indicating that visceral hypersensitivity is an unstable trait.
BACKGROUND: Visceral hypersensitivity inirritable bowel syndrome (IBS), measured with rectal balloon distensions, using a barostat, has been suggested to be a phenomenon that is reduced due to habituation at repeated investigations. We investigated the stability of rectal sensitivity in patients with IBS who had undergone a previous rectal barostat study and assessed variations in symptom pattern and severity in relation to rectal sensory function. METHOD:Irritable bowel syndromepatients, who had previously been undergone a rectal barostat study, were included. All patients underwent a second study 8-12 years later. Symptoms were characterized by use of questionnaires. KEY RESULTS: We included 26 subjects (17 females, median age at the index investigation 44.5 (21-61) years). Pressure and volume sensory thresholds were unchanged at the follow-up compared with the index investigation (P > 0.05 for all). At the index investigation, 8/26 patients had rectal hypersensitivity of which four were reclassified as normosensitive, and sixfrom normo- to hypersensitive, meaning that 10/26 patients were hypersensitive at the follow-up investigation. IBS-QOL had improved significantly in six of nine domains at follow-up (P < 0.05 for all). There were no differences in anxiety, depression, IBS symptom severity, or somatization (P > 0.05) at follow-up. None of these were associated with change in rectal sensitivity at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: Rectal hypersensitivity and IBS symptoms remained stable at the group level over 8-12 years in IBSpatients, even though individual fluctuations were noted. Our findings contradict previous findings indicating that visceral hypersensitivity is an unstable trait.