Search

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening through fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) has saved thousands of lives globally with multiple countries adopting comprehensive population wide screening programs. Participation rates in FOBT based CRC screening for the socially and economically disadvantaged remains low. The aim of this systematic review is to explore empirical evidence that will guide targeted interventions to improve participation rates within priority populations. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cinahl and PsycInfo were systematically searched from inception to 22 June 2022. Eligible studies contained qualitative evidence identifying barriers to FOBT based CRC screening for populations impacted by the social determinants of health. An inductive thematic synthesis approach was applied using grounded theory methodology, to explore descriptive themes and interpret these into higher order analytical constructs and theories. A total of 8,501 publications were identified and screened. A total of 48 studies from 10 countries were eligible for inclusion, representing 2,232 subjects. Coding within included studies resulted in 30 key descriptive themes with a thematic frequency greater than 10%. Coded themes applied to four overarching, interconnected barriers driving inequality for priority populations: social, behavioural, economic and technical/interfaces. This study has highlighted the need for stronger patient/provider relationships to mitigate barriers to FOBT screening participation for diverse groups. Findings can assist health professionals and policy makers address the systemic exclusion of priority populations in cancer screening by moving beyond the responsibility of the individual to a focus on addressing the information asymmetry driving low value perceptions.

Rome criteria differentiate distinct types of disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBI); also known as functional gastrointestinal disorders. Overlap of symptom categories frequently occurs. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to define the prevalence of DGBI overlap and compare overlap in population-based, primary care or tertiary care health settings. Furthermore, we aimed to compare symptom severity of psychological comorbidities in DGBI with and without overlap.

ObjectiveFunctional dyspepsia (FD) is a complex disorder, with debilitating epigastric symptoms. Evidence suggests alterations in gastrointestinal (GI) motility, visceral hypersensitivity, permeability and low-level immune activation in the duodenum may play a role. However, we still have a relatively poor understanding of how these factors interact to precipitate the onset of FD symptoms which are frequently meal related. The duodenal microbiota, in combination with specific dietary substrates, may be important mediators in disease pathophysiology; however, these interlinked factors have not been thoroughly investigated in FD.DesignEighty-six individuals (56 FD, 30 controls) undergoing endoscopy were consecutively recruited and underwent detailed clinical assessment, including upper GI symptoms, gastric emptying and dietary assessment. Duodenal biopsies were obtained aseptically, and the mucosa-associated microbiota (MAM) analysed via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.ResultsThe relative abundances of predominant members of the Firmicutes, Bacteroidota and Fusobacteriota phyla were linked to symptom burden in FD. Inverse relationships between the relative abundances of Streptococcusand Prevotella,and the relative abundance of Veillonellaspp with gastric emptying time, were also observed. No significant differences in long-term nutrient intake or diet quality were found between FD and controls, and there appeared to be limited association between habitual diet and duodenal MAM profiles.ConclusionThis study suggests a link between the duodenal MAM, gastric emptying and FD symptoms, and this is largely independent of long-term dietary intake.

While the etiopathogenesis of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) is not completely understood, alterations of the intestinal microbiome have been observed. Antibiotics can induce dysbiosis, but whether antibiotics are a risk factor for the onset of FGIDs is uncertain. Antibiotics have been reported as both a risk factor for new onset FGID but also as a therapy for existing FGID. This study aimed to estimate the fraction of cases where antibiotics provoked the onset of FGID. Electronic medical records were obtained from general practices (primary care) in the United Kingdom. Dates of antibiotic prescription (AP) were compared with first date of FGID diagnosis and contrasted across three prevalent FGIDs and controls without gastrointestinal disorders. There were 10,926 GI healthy controls, 4326 IBS alone, 3477 FD alone, 340 chronic constipation and 4402 with overlap of multiple conditions. Both the prevalence of AP and rate were higher in FGID patients and increased with diagnosis of multiple FGIDs. 7%–14% of FGID patients were prescribed their first recorded antibiotic in the 12 months prior to their first FGID diagnosis and 20%–33% were prescribed an antibiotic in the same period. Differences between FGID groups were not accounted for by social deprivation and only rate of AP was moderated by social deprivation. In contrast, only 5%–10% of patients ever had a gastrointestinal infection recorded and only 1.5%–3.5% prior to their first FGID diagnosis. These data indicate that antibiotics are prescribed prior to FGID diagnosis in a significant minority of care‐seeking FGID patients, opening the potential for this medication to contribute to the pathophysiology. APs appears to mostly be for non‐gastrointestinal conditions.

Exercise improves symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, but few data are available about functional dyspepsia. We compared the prevalence and frequency of different types of exercise between individuals with functional dyspepsia and general population controls. A mailed survey was returned by 3160 people randomly obtained from the Australian electoral register. The survey included questions to identify the Rome III diagnosis for functional dyspepsia. Exercise was classified by the presence (yes or no) and the frequency (number of times) spent walking, and engaging in moderate and vigorous exercise, over the last 2 weeks based on the National Health Survey. Controls did not meet criteria for functional dyspepsia. Potential confounders included the presence of irritable bowel syndrome, smoking, body mass index, age and gender. A total of 14.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.6%, 16.1%) subjects had functional dyspepsia. They reported significantly less walking (57% versus 63%, P?=?0.04) and lower frequency of exercising, in terms of walking (P?=?0.008) and engaging in moderate (P?=?0.03) and vigorous activity (P?=?0.02), compared with controls. The association remained significant for moderate exercise, independent of age, gender, body mass index and smoking, and excluding overlap with irritable bowel syndrome (odds ratio (OR)?=?0.94 (95% CI 0.88, 0.99), P?=?0.02). Postprandial distress syndrome was associated with less-vigorous exercise adjusting for confounders (OR?=?0.65 (95% CI 0.42, 1.0), P?=?0.05), but not epigastric pain syndrome. Functional dyspepsia is associated with lower exercise levels, but the causality still needs to be determined.

To determine the incidence of self‐reported non‐coeliac wheat sensitivity (SR‐NCWS) and factors associated with its onset and resolution; to describe the prevalence of factors associated with gluten avoidance. Longitudinal cohort study; analysis of responses to self‐administered validated questionnaires (Digestive Health and Wellbeing surveys, 2015 and 2018). Subset of an adult population sample randomly selected in 2015 from the electoral rolls for the Newcastle and Gosford regions of New South Wales. Prevalence of SR‐NCWS(2015, 2018) and incidence and resolution of SR‐NCWS, each by demographic and medical factors; prevalence of gluten avoidance and reasons for gluten avoidance (2018). 1322 of 2185 eligible participants completed the 2018 survey (response rate, 60.5%). The prevalence of SR‐NCWSwas similar in 2015 (13.8%; 95% CI, 12.0–15.8%) and 2018 (13.9%; 95% CI, 12.1–15.9%); 69 of 1301 respondents (5.3%) reported developing new onset (incident) SR‐NCWSbetween 2015 and 2018 (incidence, 1.8% per year). Incident SR‐NCWSwas significantly associated with a diagnosis of functional dyspepsia, and negatively associated with being male or older. Gluten avoidance was reported in 2018 by 24.2% of respondents (20.5% partial, 3.8% complete avoidance); general health was the most frequent reason for avoidance (168 of 316 avoiders, 53%). All 13 participants with coeliac disease, 56 of 138 with irritable bowel syndrome (41%), and 69 of 237 with functional dyspepsia (29%) avoided dietary gluten. The prevalence of SR‐NCWSwas similar in 2015 and 2018. Baseline (2015) and incident SR‐NCWS(2018) were each associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders. The number of people avoiding dietary gluten exceeds that of people with coeliac disease or SR‐NCWS, and general health considerations and abdominal symptoms are the most frequently reported reasons for avoidance.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

ABSTRACTFrequently, patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) report intolerance of wheat products. We compared gastrointestinal symptoms, sensory function, psychiatric comorbidities, gut-homing immune cells, and duodenal mucosa-associated microbiome (d-MAM) in FGID patients and controls with and without self-reported wheat sensitivity (SR-NCWS). We recruited 40 FGID patients and 20 controls referred by GPs for treatment. Gastrointestinal/extraintestinal symptoms, visceral sensory function, psychological comorbidities, and SR-NCWS were assessed in a standardized approach. Peripheral gut homing T-cells (CD4+α4+β7+CCR9+/CD8+α4+β7+CCR9+) were quantified, and the d-MAM was assessed by DNA sequencing for 46 subjects. Factors of bacterial genera were extracted utilizing factor analysis with varimax rotation and factors univariately associated with FGID or SR-NCWS included in a subsequent multivariate analysis of variance to identify statistically independent discriminators. Anxiety scores (p < .05) and increased symptom responses to a nutrient challenge (p < .05) were univariately associated with FGID. Gut homing T-cells were increased in FGID patients with SR-NCWS compared to other groups (p all <0.05). MANOVA revealed that anxiety (p = .03), visceral sensory function (p = 0.007), and a d-MAM factor comprise members of the Alloprevotella, Prevotella, Peptostreptococcus, Leptotrichia, and Veillonellalineages were significantly (p = .001) associated with FGID, while gut homing CD4+α4+β7+CCR9+T-cells were associated (p = .002) with SR-NCWS. Compared to controls, patients with and without SR-NCWS show that there are shifts in the amplicon sequence variants within specific bacterial genera between the FGID subgroups (particularly Prevotellaand Streptococcus) as well as distinct bacterial taxa discriminatory for the two different FGID subtypes. Compared to controls, both FGID patients with and without SR-NCWS have an increased symptom response to a standardized nutrient challenge and increased anxiety scores. The FGID patients with SR-NCWS – as compared to FGID without SR-NCWS (and controls without SR-NCWS) – have increased gut homing T-cells. The d-MAM profiles suggest species and strain-based variations between the two FGID subtypes and in comparison to controls.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) have been shown to be associated with both comorbid mood disorders and traumatic events such as abuse earlier in life. In a longitudinal study, we tested a model that hypothesized: (i) childhood abuse was associated with subsequent mood disorder and pain or interference in life by bowel symptoms both directly and indirectly via neurotic personality; and (ii) an ongoing cycle of mood disorder impacts on bowel symptoms. Subjects from the general population classified as irritable bowel syndrome and/or functional dyspepsia (IBS/FD, n?=?207) or free of FGID (n?=?100) were prospectively studied every 6 months over 18 months. In addition to bowel symptom interference and abdominal pain, measures of personality (neuroticism), childhood abuse history, depression, and anxiety were obtained. The hypothesized model was tested via Path Modelling. Childhood abuse was found to be directly associated with neuroticism but only indirectly associated with baseline interference and mood disorders (via neuroticism). The data further supported an ongoing cycle of elevations in mood disorders and pain/interference by bowel symptoms. The data supported direct effects of interference at one time point on interference at the subsequent time point in addition to indirect effects of prior anxiety and depression. Repeating the model with pain frequency as the outcome yielded almost identical findings which suggests the findings are generalized across domains of symptoms and quality-of-life. Our data provide support for a model characterized by a ‘vicious circle’ between mood disorders and FGID symptoms in adulthood, with initial input from early life factors.

Fecal incontinence is a common problem that has been associated with anatomic, physiological, and medical conditions. There are very few data on the factors associated with fecal incontinence in elderly women.

In a population-based study of 207 subjects with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or functional dyspepsia (FD) and controls (n = 100), we aimed to determine whether dimensions of abnormal illness behavior from the Abnormal Illness Behaviour Questionnaire and aspects of social learning of illness behavior from the Social Learning of Illness Behaviour scale were independent predictors of health care seeking for IBS and FD. Results showed that dimensions of abnormal illness behavior and aspects of social learning of illness behavior (encouragement, reinforcement, and modeling) did not significantly differentiate between consulters and nonconsulters with IBS and/or FD. The Disease Conviction scale (OR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.15–2.09) of the Abnormal Illness Behaviour Questionnaire was an independent predictor of having a diagnosis of IBS and/or FD, independent of age and gender, psychiatric diagnoses, and symptom severity. We conclude that a belief in the presence of serious pathology characterizes community subjects with IBS and FD, but not health care seeking.

ABSTRACTSeveral studies reported a potential role of methane producing archaea in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of methane positive small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in IBS and IBD compared with controls. MEDLINE (PubMed) and Embase electronic databases were searched from inception until March 2021 for case-control and prevalence studies reporting SIBO in IBS and IBD. We extracted data from published studies and calculated pooled prevalence of SIBO in IBS or IBD, odds ratios (OR), and 95% CIs, utilizing a random effects model. The final dataset included 17 independent studies assessing the prevalence of methane positive SIBO in 1,653 IBS-patients and 713 controls, and 7 studies assessing the prevalence of methane positive SIBO in 626 IBD-patients and 497 controls, all utilizing breath test for SIBO diagnosis. Prevalence of methane positive SIBO in IBS and IBD was 25.0% (95% CI 18.8–32.4) and 5.6% (95% CI 2.6–11.8), respectively. Methane positive SIBO in IBS was not increased compared to controls (OR = 1.2, 95% CI 0.8–1.7, P= .37) but was significantly more prevalent in IBS-C as compared to IBS-D (OR = 3.1, 95% CI 1.7–5.6, P= .0001). The prevalence of methane-positive SIBO in patients with IBD was 3-fold lower at 7.4% (95% CI 5.4–9.8) compared to 23.5% (95% CI 19.8–27.5) in controls. The prevalence of methane positive SIBO was significantly lower in Crohn’s disease as compared to ulcerative colitis, (5.3%, 95% CI 3.0–8.5 vs. 20.2%, 95% CI 12.8–29.4). This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests methane positivity on breath testing is positively associated with IBS-C and inversely with IBD. However, the quality of evidence is low largely due to clinical heterogeneity of the studies. Thus, causality is uncertain and further studies are required.