Title

Increased Postprandial Colonic Motility and Autonomic Nervous System Activity in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Prospective Study

Document Type

Article

Date of Publication

1-2018

Publication Title

Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility

First Page

87

Last Page

95

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

The prevalence and severity of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) declines with age, but the cause of this is unknown. This study tested 2 hypotheses: (1) autonomic nervous system responses to eating and bowel distention, measured by heart rate variability (HRV), differs by age in IBS patients and (2) HRV is correlated with colonic motility and IBS symptoms.

METHODS:

One hundred and fifty-six Rome III positive IBS patients and 31 healthy controls underwent colonic manometry with bag distention in the descending colon, followed by ingestion of an 810-kcal meal. HRV, evaluated by low frequency (%LF; 0.04-0.15 Hz) component, high frequency (%HF; 0.15-0.40 Hz) component, and the LF/HF ratio, was measured during colonic distention and after the meal. Motility index and subjective symptom scores were simultaneously quantified.

RESULTS:

Both colonic distention and eating decreased %HF and increased the LF/HF ratio, and both indices of autonomic nervous systemcorrelated with age. In IBS patients, %HF negatively correlated with the postprandial motility index after adjusting for age. The %HF and LF/HF ratios also correlated with psychological symptoms but not bowel symptoms in IBS patients.

CONCLUSION:

Decreased vagal activity is associated with increase in age and greater postprandial colonic motility in patients with IBS, which may contribute to postprandial symptoms.

DOI

10.5056/jnm16216

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