The Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional digestive disorder recognised as a Biopsychosocial model, because psychological, social and biological factors influence the development of its symptomatology. A high psychiatric comorbidity is frequently observed in patients with IBS associated to an increase in the severity of symptoms and a low-grade of inflammatory response. Although its pathophysiological mechanism has not been fully understood, an imbalance in bidirectional communication is described in the gut-brain axis that affects psychoneuroimmune status of IBS patients. Diverse psychotherapeutic interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing the psychosocial impact in IBS patients, as well as in reducing their intestinal symptoms. However, at the clinical practice, it is not routinely applied because of its high cost. The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an alternative program that shown to be effective in reducing the clinical severity and improving the quality of life of patients with IBS. Although MBSR has demonstrated to reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, in healthy subjects and cancer’s patients, its effect on the immune response in IBS patients remains unknown. This review discusses the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between psychosocial disturbances, clinical symptomatology and low-grade inflammation in IBS. Based on that, we present the arguments that allow proposing the use of MBSR for the IBS treatment.

Detrimental impact of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the symptomatology of patients with irritable bowel syndrome Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a more frequent disorder in the brain-gut axis interaction in the world. COVID-19 has affected the population's mental health, and its impact on clinical severity in patients with IBS is unknown. Objective: To evaluate the effect of psychosocial stress produced by the pandemic on the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms. Methodology: 54 women and three men with IBS were interviewed by telephone. Factors associated with quality of life, comorbidities, IBS subtype, and COVID-19 diagnosis were asked. Calls were developed between June 2020 to January 2021. Results: 75% had Diarrheal IBS (IBS-D), 67% had comorbidities, 47% with busy work, and 70% in person, five patients (9%) were diagnosed with COVID-19. Of the total, 88% referred to change in gastrointestinal symptoms, 56% increased abdominal pain, and 95% bloating. Abdominal pain was negatively associated with quality of life (p < 0.036), and the incomplete evacuation's sensation positively with difficulty sleeping (p < 0.034). Conclusion: In this study, IBS patients interviewed by telephone reported higher abdominal pain and subjective bloating associated with the pandemic by SARS-CoV-2.