Treatment for Bacterial Overgrowth in the Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Douglas A. Drossman
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2006)

Editorials17 October 2006Treatment for Bacterial Overgrowth in the Irritable Bowel SyndromeDouglas A. Drossman, MDDouglas A. Drossman, MDFrom the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-145-8-200610170-00012 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Over the last 10 to 20 years, the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has garnered considerable scientific interest. The acceptance of the biopsychosocial model (1), the application of symptom-based diagnostic criteria (for example, Rome diagnostic criteria), and the growth in biological and behavioral measurement technology (2, 3) has created a fertile area for new research in IBS with the potential for more effective treatments. Research now focuses on altered motility and neuroenteric signaling; visceral hypersensitivity and its enhancement by inflammation and altered mucosal immunity; and brain–gut dysfunction via altered pain, autonomic, and stress-related (for example, corticotropin-releasing hormone) pathways (2, 3). It ...References1. Drossman DA. Presidential address: gastrointestinal illness and the biopsychosocial model. Psychosom Med. 1998;60:258-67. [PMID: 9625212] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Drossman DA. The functional gastrointestinal disorders and the Rome III process.. In: Drossman DA, Corazziari E, Delvaux M, Spiller R, Talley NJ, Thompson WG, et al, eds. Rome III: The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. 3rd ed. McLean, VA: Degnon Associates; 2006:1-30. Google Scholar3. Drossman DA. The functional gastrointestinal disorders and the Rome III process. Gastroenterology. 2006;130:1377-90. [PMID: 16678553] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. 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[PMID: 11808932] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.Disclosures: None disclosed.Corresponding Author: Douglas A. Drossman, MD, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB7080, 4150 Bioinformatics Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7080. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoThe Effect of a Nonabsorbed Oral Antibiotic (Rifaximin) on the Symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Mark Pimentel , Sandy Park , James Mirocha , Sunanda V. Kane , and Yuthana Kong Metrics Cited ByRifaximin in the Treatment of Patients With Diarrhea-Predominant Irritable Bowel SyndromePractical Considerations for Recognizing and Managing Severe Irritable Bowel SyndromeTherapies Aimed at the Gut Microbiota and Inflammation: Antibiotics, Prebiotics, Probiotics, Synbiotics, Anti-inflammatory TherapiesAntibiotic Therapy for the Irritable Bowel SyndromeProton Pump Inhibitors, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: Coincidence or Newton's Third Law Revisited?Review: Do patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders have an altered gut flora?Postinfectious Irritable Bowel SyndromeBacterial Overgrowth and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Unifying Hypothesis or a Spurious Consequence of Proton Pump Inhibitors?Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth in irritable bowel syndrome: association with colon motility, bowel symptoms, and psychological distressRifaximin Treatment for Symptoms of Irritable Bowel SyndromeIrritable Bowel SyndromeNovel therapeutic approaches in IBSBacteria: A New Player in Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders—Infections, Bacterial Overgrowth, and ProbioticsNaltrexone: Irritable Bowel SyndromeBacterial flora in irritable bowel syndrome: role in pathophysiology, implications for managementThe Effect of a Nonabsorbed Oral Antibiotic (Rifaximin) on the Symptoms of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Trial 17 October 2006Volume 145, Issue 8Page: 626-628KeywordsAntibioticsBacteriaBacterial culturesDiarrheaHypersensitivityInflammationIrritable bowel syndromeNeomycinsProbiotics ePublished: 17 October 2006 Issue Published: 17 October 2006 CopyrightCopyright © 2006 by American College of Physicians. 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