The Prevalence, Comorbidity, Management and Costs of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: An Observational Study Using Routine Health Insurance Data

Abstract

The Chronic Pain Research Alliance (CPRA) exists to provide a voice for the millions of people suffering with multiple pain conditions, termed Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions (COPCs). These conditions come at a high cost -to the individuals affected by them, their loved ones and to our health care system and society at large. Misdiagnosis is all too common, coordinated medical care is lacking, and safe and effective treatments are sparse.Why is this? A major reason is that only $1.06 per affected person is invested in researching these conditions by the federal government.We are working tirelessly to change that! For meaningful change to occur in the lives of those suffering from COPCs, CPRA understands that all invested stakeholders must work together. This includes patients affected by COPCs and their loved ones, clinicians who care for them, scientists researching these conditions, companies working to develop better and more effective treatments, federal and private research agencies who support research studies, advocacy organizations working to improve the lives of people with these conditions and legislators who affect change through public policy.With the ultimate goal of advancing timely diagnoses and effective evidence-based medical management for individuals affected by COPCs, the CPRA works with invested stakeholders to:1 -Promote high-quality research on chronic overlapping pain conditions 2 -Translate research findings into information for patients and educational training programs for clinicians 3 -Drive the development of safe and effective treatments for these conditions CPRA's Vision for the Future With the advancement of initiatives called for by the CPRA, we envision a future where individuals with COPCs will receive a timely and accurate diagnosis, following by high-quality, comprehensive medical care that is informed by the latest and most rigorous scientific evidence.In the process, these goals will be attained: Increased federal and private investment in COPCs research that is coordinated, standardized and collaborative  Informed and educated health care professionals  Informed and empowered patients  Development of safe and effective therapies specific to COPCs  Maximized taxpayer dollars and decreased costsTo learn more, please visit: www.ChronicPainResearch.org.

The fecal mycobiome in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

“…Also, Candida abundance is directly associated with short term high carbohydrate consumption 7 . Such mycosis may lead to a false diagnosis of IBS, and its incorrect treatment 18 . Symptoms like visceral hypersensitivity are observed only in a subset of subjects with IBS and this has been associated with the gut mycobiome 10 .…”

Illness perception and health care use in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome: results from an online survey

“…Multiple answers were possible. The prevalence of depression and anxiety was lower than known from the literature: A recently published analysis based on routine data from a German health insurance plan found 58% of patients with IBS with “neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders”, and 42% with “affective disorders” (mainly depression) [ 37 ]. The same study group reported 45% with at least one further diagnosis affecting oesophagus, stomach and/or duodenum [ 37 ].…”

Irritable bowel syndrome - risk factors, pathogenesis and treatment options

“…IBS is considered a functional disorder. Those of functional disorders that do not have a specific biomarkers tend to be underdiagnosed in the primary care setting [9]. IBS has a pooled global prevalence of 11.2%.…”