New study reveals 1 in 10 IBD patients are misdiagnosed with IBS.

[DustyKat]

New study reveals 1 in 10 Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients are misdiagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

A new study, published in the UEG Journal reveals that 10% of IBD patients are misdiagnosed with IBS and in 3% of cases the misdiagnosis can persist for five or more years. The case-controlled study, conducted in the UK, assessed the proportion of patients with IBS recorded prior to the IBD diagnosis to reveal the alarming statistics.

Leading IBD researcher and United European Gastroenterology (UEG) spokesperson Dr Michael Scharl says, "IBS has been estimated to affect at least 10% of the population in Europe and it causes distressing symptoms that disrupt normal life." He explains, "We have known for some time that there are similarities between symptoms of IBS and IBD, but when it comes to diagnosis and treatment, this differs greatly."

He adds, "Misdiagnosis is understandable as many symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal cramping and pain are common to both and the specific alarm symptoms for IBD such as bloody stool, weight loss or fever are often absent in IBD patients in the initial phase of their disease. However, increased use of faecal calprotectin testing would help doctors distinguish between inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and non-inflammatory bowel diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome."

IBS has been estimated to affect at least 10% of the population in Europe. The initial misdiagnosis of IBD has serious consequences for patients, in particular those with Crohn's disease, since delays in diagnosis is correlated with an increased risk of bowel stenosis and CD-related intestinal surgery. Considering that the misdiagnosis of IBD might have severe consequences for a patient's life, UEG are calling for increased efforts to be undertaken to screen symptomatic IBS patients for IBD. Screening tests for intestinal inflammation should be included in the work up of all new patients presenting with diarrhoea and pain.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/287060.php

 

[DustyKat]

I think they also need to move away from the common view that IBD = Diarrhoea and perhaps do a FC for persistent symptoms full stop.

Dusty.

 

[DEmberton]

20 years in my case. They gave me a gastroscopy but not a colonoscopy and told me it was IBS.

 

[DustyKat]

Whoa.

 

[Karma]

I think the guidance for GPs in the UK is now for FC to be done on suspected IBS.

Problems might come for people who have both like me. Test FC during an IBS episode and you'll look like you're not an IBD sufferer.

I wonder how many cases of IBS are actually very mild cases of IBD?!

 

[David]

1 in 10? Seems kinda low frankly.

Good article though, thanks!

 

[nikkibee26]

I was misdiagnosed for 6 years. I suspect the number of misdiagnosed with IBS is higher than 10%.

 

[DEmberton]

The statistic is 1 in 10 people who have been diagnosed with IBD were originally misdiagnosed with IBS, not that 1 in 10 people with IBS actually have IBD.

In my case I only occasionally had diarrhea, and more significantly, never had any blood, and I was told "blood in the stool is not a symptom of IBS". So I always looked out for it, and because I never had any, remained safe in the knowledge that it was just IBS. Even when things got worse I just put it down to my IBS getting worse due to stress. It was only after losing a lot of weight that I went back to the doctor.

I'm sure there are a lot of people like me, and if you never get to the getting worse stage, then you'd never get correctly diagnosed.