Viscerosensory-cardiovascular reflexes: altered baroreflex sensitivity in irritable bowel syndrome.

Animal studies have demonstrated that visceral afferent stimulation alters autonomic cardiovascular reflexes. This mechanism might play an important role in the pathophysiology of conditions associated with visceral hypersensitivity, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). As such, studies in humans are lacking, we measured viscerosensory-cardiovascular reflex interactions in IBS patients and healthy controls.