Abstract
Recently, there has been strong interest in the therapeutic potential of probiotics for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). At the same time, there is a rapidly growing body of evidence to support an etiological role for gastrointestinal infection and the associated immune activation in the development of post-infectious IBS. In a more controversial area, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth has been associated with a subset of patients with IBS; the issue of whether it is appropriate to treat a subset of IBS patients with antibiotics and probiotics is currently a matter for debate. Thus, it appears that the gastrointestinal microbial flora may exert beneficial effects for symptoms of IBS under some circumstances, while in other situations gut microbes could give rise to symptoms of IBS. How do we make sense of the apparently diverse roles that 'bugs' may play in IBS? To address this question, we have conducted an in-depth review, attempting where possible to draw lessons from Asian studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 244-251 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia) |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 Feb |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Hepatology
- Gastroenterology
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Bugs and irritable bowel syndrome : The good, the bad and the ugly. / Ghoshal, Uday C.; Park, Hyojin; Gwee, Kok Ann.
In: Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia), Vol. 25, No. 2, 02.2010, p. 244-251.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Bugs and irritable bowel syndrome
T2 - The good, the bad and the ugly
AU - Ghoshal, Uday C.
AU - Park, Hyojin
AU - Gwee, Kok Ann
PY - 2010/2
Y1 - 2010/2
N2 - Recently, there has been strong interest in the therapeutic potential of probiotics for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). At the same time, there is a rapidly growing body of evidence to support an etiological role for gastrointestinal infection and the associated immune activation in the development of post-infectious IBS. In a more controversial area, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth has been associated with a subset of patients with IBS; the issue of whether it is appropriate to treat a subset of IBS patients with antibiotics and probiotics is currently a matter for debate. Thus, it appears that the gastrointestinal microbial flora may exert beneficial effects for symptoms of IBS under some circumstances, while in other situations gut microbes could give rise to symptoms of IBS. How do we make sense of the apparently diverse roles that 'bugs' may play in IBS? To address this question, we have conducted an in-depth review, attempting where possible to draw lessons from Asian studies.
AB - Recently, there has been strong interest in the therapeutic potential of probiotics for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). At the same time, there is a rapidly growing body of evidence to support an etiological role for gastrointestinal infection and the associated immune activation in the development of post-infectious IBS. In a more controversial area, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth has been associated with a subset of patients with IBS; the issue of whether it is appropriate to treat a subset of IBS patients with antibiotics and probiotics is currently a matter for debate. Thus, it appears that the gastrointestinal microbial flora may exert beneficial effects for symptoms of IBS under some circumstances, while in other situations gut microbes could give rise to symptoms of IBS. How do we make sense of the apparently diverse roles that 'bugs' may play in IBS? To address this question, we have conducted an in-depth review, attempting where possible to draw lessons from Asian studies.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=76149140061&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2009.06133.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2009.06133.x
M3 - Review article
C2 - 20074148
AN - SCOPUS:76149140061
VL - 25
SP - 244
EP - 251
JO - Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia)
JF - Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Australia)
SN - 0815-9319
IS - 2
ER -