Sandbox MWH

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Muhammad Waleed Haider, M.D.[2]

Synonyms and Keywords: Spastic colon, functional bowel disorder, IBS

Historical Perspective

Irritable Bowel syndrome (IBS) was first mentioned in the Rocky Mountain Medical Journal in 1950. IBS was described as a psychosomatic disorder, not explained by any biochemical or structural abnormalities. Apley and Nash conducted a famous study on 1000 children in Bristol, United Kingdom and were the first to describe recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) as the predominant feature of IBS. In 1978, the first diagnostic criteria i.e. the Manning criteria was described. It did not specify any required duration for the symptoms of IBS. The subsequent criteria saw a reduction in the required duration of symptoms to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. In Rome in 1995, an international group of gastroenterologist defined the diagnostic criteria for IBS and this was published in 1999 under the title of the Rome II criteria. This criteria underwent modification and was described as the Rome III criteria. Since June 2016, the criteria being followed is the Rome IV criteria.

Discovery

• In 1950, the concept of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was mentioned for the first time without the recognition of any particular etiology, in the Rocky Mountain Medical Journal.
• IBS was described as a psychosomatic disorder, not explained by any biochemical or structural abnormalities.
• In 1958, Apley and Nash conducted a study on 1000 children in Bristol, United Kingdom and were the first to describe Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP), as the predominant feature of IBS.
• Recurrent abdominal pain was defined as pain in the abdomen occurring over a duration of at least 3 months, with the severity enough to cause significant impairment of function.