The findings from a large study indicate that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are at increased risk for migraine, depression or fibromyalgia, a chronic condition of fatigue, muscle pain and other symptoms, according to Reuters. Previous research has linked IBS with these disorders, but much of the supporting data has come from case reports or from small clinical practices, lead author Dr. J. Alexander Cole and colleagues, from Boston University, note. Plus, issues related study design, such as the lack of a reference group and the inability to account for the possible influence of other risk factors, have prevented researchers from reaching definitive conclusions. The current study, published in BMC Gastroenterology, involved more than 125,000 subjects and did include a reference group. The subjects were drawn from a large U.S. health plan and were seen for either IBS or routine medical care (the non-IBS group). Compared with non-IBS patients, those with the condition were 60 percent more likely to also have any one of the three disorders, the report indicates. The elevated risks for depression, migraine, and fibromyalgia were 40 percent, 60 percent, and 80 percent, respectively. The current findings support previous reports, which have promoted speculation that all four disorders share an underlying biological mechanism, the authors conclude.
