Effects of a health program comprising reassurance, diet management, probiotics administration and regular exercise on symptoms and quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract

Effects of a health program comprising reassurance and patient education, diet management, administration of probiotics and regular exercise on symptoms and quality of life in patients with IBS were investigated.A total of 143 patients (95% women and 5% men), with an average age of 32 years (range, 18-58 years), were included in the study. Ninety-six of these patients had diarrhea and 47 had constipation as the predominant symptom. The patients went through a program combining reassurance and IBS education, guidance in diet management, intake of probiotics, and regular exercise. The patients were asked to complete the Birmingham IBS symptom score questionnaire, the SF-36 questionnaire and the IBS-quality of life (IBS-QoL) questionnaire before starting the program and three, six, 12 and 24 months after completing the program.The total score of symptoms, as well as all the 3 dimensions (pain, diarrhea and constipation), were diminished significantly at all observation times after completing the program. The total score of quality of life, as assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire and by the IBS-QoL questionnaire, was significantly improved at all observation times after completing the program. This improvement included all health concepts of the SF-36 and all the domains of the IBS-QoL except physical and mental role limitations, food avoidance and sexual relations. There was no statistical difference between patients with IBS with diarrhea-or constipation-predominant symptoms.Combining reassurance and patient education, diet management, probiotics administration and regular exercise in a health program improves symptoms and quality of life in patients with IBS.

Effects of dietary guidance on the symptoms, quality of life and habitual dietary intake of patients with irritable bowel syndrome

“…This effect has been demonstrated to be long-term (18). This indicates that dietary guidance may be used as a cost-effective option for the management of IBS; combining dietary guidance with other lifestyle measures, such as a regular intake of probiotics and regular exercise, would augment the effect of dietary management (34). Food supplements with beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus spp.…”

The role of diet in the pathogenesis and management of irritable bowel syndrome (Review)

“…Guidance on diet management for IBS patients has been found to improve quality of life and reduce symptoms (38,129). Furthermore, this guidance enhances the awareness of IBS patients of all FODMAP-rich food items and consequently their consumption of these food is avoided or reduced considerably.…”

“…Restriction of FODMAP-rich food items should be individualized. IBS patients have different tolerance to various FODMAP-rich food items (129). This is probably due to a difference in the intestinal bacterial flora between IBS patients.…”

Nutritional Management of Gastrointestinal Diseases and Disorders

“…However, the response rate among Asian IBS patients to the NICE-modified diet was 28%, compared to 41-54% in IBS patients in Europe and the USA [5][6][7]. This discrepancy could be explained by the patients randomized to the NICE-modified diet in the present study having received only brief dietary advice (5 min), compared to the structured dietary advice (30 min) provided to the low-FODMAP group, since structured dietary advice itself improves IBS symptoms [8][9][10]. Given the complexity of food dishes in Asia and the tradition of consuming up to six shared different dishes at each meal, recommending a low-FODMAP diet to Asian IBS patients is likely to be difficult.…”