Gastro Flash Vol-5, No-1, 2019

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is defined as a chronic inflammation of the intestine that occurs due to host-microbial interactions in a genetically susceptible individual. It is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of both the small and large intestine, wherein the body’s own immune system attacks elements of the digestive system.1 IBD, earlier considered to be a disease of the West, is increasingly being reported now from Asian countries. It is speculated that in few years India will have one of the highest disease burden of IBD across the globe.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, characterized by chronic GI symptoms including abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of any organic or biochemical pathology. Despite intense research done over the last few years on functional GI disorders, in particular IBS, their pathophysiology continues to be debatable. However, most experts argue for a multifactorial etiology of these disorders, with stress and visceral hypersensitivity playing prime roles in their development.1-4 In general, IBS is well recognized for its consortium of symptoms including abdominal pain and alterations in the pattern of defecation in term of stool consistency and/or frequency (Box 1). Although the condition is not life threatening; its symptoms are bothersome and painful. The intensity and frequency of these symptoms usually vary among patients. This variation in clinical presentation, together with the fact that many patients with IBS do not seek medical opinion, suggests that patients with symptoms related to IBS should be identified early and treated appropriately.