IBS is common in IBD

By Marianne Otterstad, Trainee GI Physiologist

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of diseases where the gastrointestinal tract is inflamed, and the two most common diseases are Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC)⁽¹⁾.

Following an IBD diagnosis the main priority is to get the acute situation under control.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of diseases where the gastrointestinal tract is inflamed, and the two most common diseases are Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) ⁽¹⁾. Following an IBD diagnosis the main priority is to get the acute situation under control. However, many patients both in remission and on a stable medical regimen experience irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom such as bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhoea ⁽²⁾. IBS is a diagnosis based on a collection of symptoms, often without a known cause. Three types of IBS exist, the type most commonly seen in IBD being diarrhoea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) ⁽³⁾. Although the exact cause of IBS is unknown, it is associated with a change in the composition of bacteria in the bowel (microbiome), over-sensitivity of the gut and the immune system also plays a role in the disease ⁽⁴⁾.

It has been established that IBD can alter the microbiome which is one reason why IBS is common in this patient group ⁽⁵⁾. An over-active immune system and over-sensitive gut also play a part in IBD which further explain the connection between the two diseases⁽⁶⁾. IBD and IBS can co-exist, however treatment and prognosis of the two diseases are different so the right diagnosis is crucial⁽⁷⁾.

Another cause of IBS-type symptoms in IBD patients in remission is Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) ⁽⁸⁾. SIBO can be diagnosed using a simple hydrogen and methane breath test which can be used to direct management. 

Studies show that treatment with antibiotics can significantly reduce abdominal symptoms in IBD patients in remission ⁽⁹⁾. IBS-type symptoms in IBD patients may also be managed through diet. Approximately 70% of IBD patients are lactose intolerant⁽¹⁰⁾ which can also be diagnosed by a hydrogen and methane breath test.  

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