Editorial
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 7, 2006; 12(1): 1-5
Published online Jan 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i1.1
Changing face of irritable bowel syndrome
Eamonn MM Quigley
Eamonn MM Quigley, MD, FACG, Professor of Medicine and Human Physiology, Head of the Medical School, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland
Correspondence to: Eamonn MM Quigley, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, Department of Medicine, Clinical Sciences Building, Cork University Hospital, Ireland. e.quigley@ucc.ie
Telephone: +353-21-490-1228 Fax: +353-21-490-1289
Received: June 15, 2005
Revised: June 28, 2005
Accepted: July 18, 2005
Published online: January 7, 2006
Abstract

Recent years have witnessed tremendous progress in our understanding of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is evident that this is a truly global disease associated with significant symptoms and impairments in personal and social functioning for afflicted individuals. Advances in our understanding of gut flora-mucosal interactions, the enteric nervous system and the brain-gut axis have led to substantial progress in the pathogenesis of symptoms in IBS and have provided some hints towards the basic etiology of this disorder, in some subpopulations, at the very least. We look forward to a time when therapy will be addressed to pathophysiology and perhaps, even to primary etiology. In the meantime, a model based on a primary role for intestinal inflammation serves to integrate the various strands, which contribute to the presentation of IBS

Keywords: Irritable bowel syndrome, Functional gastrointestinal disease, Intestinal inflammation