Coeliac disease in patients with irritable-bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-a complex, multifaceted condition, broadly characterized by abdominal pain/discomfort associated with altered bowel habits-is among the most prevalent gastrointestinal motility disorders and is one the commonest conditions seen by gastroenterologists in their daily practice.(1), In clinical practice, a positive diagnosis of IBS is usually made by symptom criteria as the main finding along with limited paraclinical evaluation to exclude organic gastrointestinal diseases.(2) It is generally accepted that IBS is a multifactorial condition, and patients having this disease are actually a heterogeneous group with different underlying mechanisms which are so far unknown.(3) Corresponding author: Department of Internal Medicine, Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar abbas, Iran. Tel: +98 912 317 8080 Fax: +98 761 334 8722 E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Background Celiac disease occurs primarily in whites of northern European ancestry. Previous beliefs about epidemiology of celiac disease in Iran has changed after recent studies on the disease. The aim of this study is to find the frequency of celiac disease among patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Materials and Methods During one-year period (2006-07), patients with irritable bowel syndrome with Rome II criteria referred to the University Clinic in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan, South of Iran, were studied to identify those who had also celiac disease. Serologic tests were used to screen patients for celiac disease. If the serologic test became positive, a duodenal biopsy was taken to confirm the diagnosis. Results 150 patients fulfilling Rome II criteria for irritable bowel syndrome were evaluated. 19 (12.7%) patients were found to have tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody; out of these 19 patients, 15 (10% of total cases) had abnormal intestinal pathology according to the modified Marsh classification,5 had type I, 6 type II, 3 type IIIA and 1 had type IIIB lesions. Conclusions Celiac disease is a relatively common finding among patients with irritable bowel syndrome.