Publications by authors named "Christine L Frissora"

Introduction: Chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) is a common disorder that has a large unmet clinical need, affecting 8.0-12.0% of the US population and disproportionately affecting female individuals more than male individuals.

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Purpose Of Review: Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) is diagnosed when chronic symptoms of abdominal pain accompany loose stools, and alarm features, such as fever, anemia, rectal bleeding, and weight loss are absent. This combination of symptoms makes structural disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease or cancer, unlikely, but does not exclude other conditions that cause these symptoms. The question is whether making a "positive diagnosis" of IBS-D based on symptoms alone and instituting therapy based on that diagnosis still makes sense.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A chart review of 258 adults showed significant rates of sucrose malabsorption identified using hydrogen-methane and C-sucrose breath tests.
  • * Dietary counseling and enzyme replacement therapy improved symptoms in 60% of patients who were diagnosed with sucrose malabsorption after positive breath tests.
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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a difficult disease to treat because of its ill-defined triggers, variable clinical course, and unpredictable myriad of symptoms of varying severity. Both doctors and patients are frustrated by the insidious nature of IBS--a nonlethal disorder that destroys lives, relationships, and careers. Traditional therapies are sometimes effective in mild disease but are often self-limiting because they focus primarily on individual symptoms.

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Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) and chronic constipation are 2 common gastrointestinal motility disorders that place a substantial burden on patients and society. Symptoms of both disorders are chronic, sometimes severe, and often respond poorly to treatment with traditional approaches, resulting in reduced quality of life, polypharmacy, and frequent healthcare utilization. Because structural, physical, or biochemical markers cannot be used to identify either disorder, diagnosis is symptom-based.

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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of several highly prevalent, multi-symptom gastrointestinal motility disorders that have a wide clinical spectrum and are associated with symptoms of gastrointestinal dysmotility and visceral hypersensitivity. Symptom overlap and comorbidity between IBS and other gastrointestinal motility disorders (eg, chronic constipation, functional dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux disease), with gastrointestinal disorders that are not related to motility (eg, celiac disease, lactose intolerance), and with somatic conditions (eg, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome), are frequent. The clinical associations and pathophysiologic links between IBS and these disorders continue to be explored.

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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is characterized by abdominal pain or discomfort that is associated with altered bowel function (diarrhea, constipation, or alteration between the two), is one of several gastrointestinal motility disorders. IBS affects up to one in five North Americans, mostly women. The reason(s) this disorder is reported more often by women than men, and the role of gender and biological sex in the prevalence, pathophysiology, symptom presentation, impact on quality of life, diagnosis, and response to treatment, are poorly understood.

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The differential diagnosis of nausea and vomiting is extensive and the underlying cause can be difficult to diagnose. Treatment of nausea and vomiting also can be unsatisfactory because the available pharmacotherapy does not correct the fundamental underlying pathophysiologic abnormalities. In contrast, the diagnosis of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy generally is straightforward.

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Irritable bowel syndrome is difficult to treat because of poorly defined pathophysiology, lack of diagnostic marker, and until recently, limited pharmacotherapy. After diagnosis, treatment includes diet and behavior modifications, along with pharmacologic treatment for mild disease and severe cases.

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